THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


GIFT  OF 

Professor 
Frank  W.  Wadsworth 


AFLOAT     A  1ST  D     A  S  H  O  !R  E . 


1 
. 


AFLOAT  AND  ASHORE 


A  SEA  TALE 


BY  J.  FENIMORE  COOPER 


"  Home-keeping  youth  have  ever  homely  wita." 

Two  GEMLEMEX  OF  VEJWHJU 


ILLUSTRATED  FROM   DRAWINGS  BY   F.   0.   C.   DARLEY 


NEW  YORK: 
PUBLISHED   BY   HURD  AND   HOUGHTON. 


1872. 


Entered,  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  In  tuo  >  ear  1861,  by 

W.  A.  TOWNSEND  AND  COMPANY, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Southern  District  of  New  York. 


R  I  v  E  it  s  t  i>  K  ,    r  A  M  it  it  1 1>  a  B : 

PRINTED    BY    H.    O.    IIOL'GIITOH    AND   COMPANY. 


PREFACE. 


THE  writer  has  published  so  much  truth  which  the 
world  has  insisted  was  fiction,  and  so  much  fiction 
which  has  been  received  as  truth,  that,  in  the  present 
instance,  he  is  resolved  to  say  nothing  on  the  subject. 
Each  of  his  readers  is  at  liberty  to  believe  just  as 
much,  or  as  little,  of  the  matter  here  laid  before  him, 
or  her,  as  may  suit  his  or  her  notions,  prejudices,  knowl 
edge  of  the  world,  or  ignorance.  If  anybody  is  disposed 
to  swear  he  knows  precisely  where  Clawbonny  is,  that 
he  was  well  acquainted  with  old  Mr.  Hardinge,  nay,  has 
often  heard  him  preach — let  him  make  his  affidavit,  in 
welcome.  Should  he  get  a  little  wide  of  the  mark,  it 
will  not  be  the  first  document  of  that  nature  which  has 
possessed  the  same  weakness. 

It  is  possible  that  certain  captious  persons  may  be 
disposed  to  inquire  into  the  cui  bono  f  of  such  a  book. 
The  answer  is  this.  Every  thing  which  can  convey  to 
the  human  mind  distinct  and  accurate  impressions  of 
events,  social  facts,  professional  peculiarities,  or  past 


857177 


VI  PREFACE. 


history,  whether  of  the  higher  or  more  familiar  charac 
ter,  is  of  use.  All  that  is  necessary  is,  that  the  pictures 
should  be  true  to  nature,  if  not  absolutely  drawn  from 
living  sitters.  The  knowledge  we  gain  by  our  looser 
reading  often  becomes  serviceable  in  modes  and  man 
ners  little  anticipated  in  the  moments  when  it  is  ac 
quired. 

Perhaps  the  greater  portion  of  all  our  peculiar  opin 
ions  have  their  foundation  in  prejudices.  These  preju 
dices  are  produced  in  consequence  of  its  being  out  of 
the  power  of  any  one  man  to  see,  or  know,  every  thing. 
The  most  favored  mortal  must  receive  far  more  than 
half  of  all  that  he  learns  on  his  faith  in  others ;  and  it 
may  aid  those  who  can  never  be  placed  in  positions  to 
judge  for  themselves  of  .certain  phases  of  men  and 
things,  to  get  pictures  of  the  same,  drawn  in  a  way  to 
give  them  nearer  views  than  they  might  otherwise  ob 
tain.  This  is  the  greatest  benefit  of  all  light  literature 
in  general,  it  being  possible  to  render  that  which  is 
purely  fictitious  even  more  useful  than  that  which  is 
strictly  true,  by  avoiding  extravagances,  by  portraying 
with  fidelity,  and,  as  our  friend  Marble  might  say,  by 
"  generalizing"  with  discretion. 

This  country  has  undergone  many  important  changes 
since  the  commencement  of  the  present  century.  Some 
of  these  changes  have  been  for  the  better ;  others,  we 
think  out  of  all  question,  for  the  worse.  The  last  is  a 
fact  that  can  be  known  to  the  generation  which  is  com 
ing  into  life  by  report  only,  and  these  pages  may  possi 
bly  throw  some  little  light  on  both  points,  in  representing 
things  as  they  were.  The  population  of  the  republic  is 
probably  something  more  than  eighteen  millions  and  a 
half  to-day;  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand 
eight  hundred,  it  was  but  a  little  more  than  five  millions 


PREFACE.  VU 

In  1800,  the  population  of  New  York  was  somewhat  less 
than  six  hundred  thousand  souls  ;  to-day  it  is  probably 
a  little  less  than  two  millions  seven  hundred  thousand 
souls.  In  1800,  the  town  of  New  York  had  sixty  thou 
sand  inhabitants ;  whereas,  including  Brooklyn  and 
Williamsburg,  which  then  virtually  had  no  existence,  it 
must  have  at  this  moment  quite  four  hundred  thousand. 
These  are  prodigious  numerical  changes,  that  have  pro 
duced  changes  of  another  sort.  Although  an  increase 
of  numbers  does  not  necessarily  infer  an  increase  of 
high  civilization,  it  reasonably  leads  to  the  expectation 
of  great  melioration  in  the  commoner  comforts.  Such 
has  been  the  result,  and  to  those  familiar  with  facts  as 
they  now  exist,  the  difference  will  probably  be  apparent 
in  these  pages. 

Although  the  moral  changes  in  American  society 
have  not  kept  pace  with  those  that  are  purely  physical, 
many  that  are  essential  have  nevertheless  occurred. 
Of  all  the  British  possessions  on  this  continent,  New 
York,  after  its  conquest  from  the  Dutch,  received  most 
of  the  social  organization  of  the  mother  country.  Un 
der  the  Dutch,  even,  it  had  some  of  these  characteristic 
peculiarities  in  its  patroons ;  the  lords  of  the  manor  of 
the  New  Netherlands.  Some  of  the  southern  colonies, 
it  is  true,  had  their  caciques  and  other  semi-feudal  and 
semi-savage  noblesse,  but  the  system  was  of  short  con 
tinuance  ;  the  peculiarities  of  that  section  of  the  coun 
try  arising  principally  from  the  existence  of  domestic 
slavery  on  an  extended  scale.  With  New  York  it  was 
different.  A  conquered  colony,  the  mother  country 
left  the  impression  of  its  own  institutions  more  deeply 
engraved  than  on  any  of  the  settlements  that  were  com 
menced  by  grants  to  proprietors,  or  under  charters  from 
the  crown.  It  was  strictly  a  royal  colony,  and  so  con- 


Vlll  PREFACE. 

tinned  to  be,  down  to  the  hour  of  separation.  The 
social  consequences  of  this  state  of  things  were  to  be 
traced  in  her  habits  until  the  current  of  immigration 
became  so  strong  as  to  bring  with  it  those  that  were 
conflicting,  if  not  absolutely  antagonist.  The  influence 
of  these  two  sources  of  thought  is  still  obvious  to  the 
reflecting,  giving  rise  to  a  double  set  of  social  opinions ; 
one  of  which  bears  all  the  characteristics  of  its  New 
England  and  puritanical  origin,  while  the  other  may  be 
said  to  come  of  the  usages  and  notions  of  the  middle 
states,  proper. 

This  is  said  in  anticipation  of  certain  strictures  that 
will  be  likely  to  follow  some  of  the  incidents  of  our 
story,  it  not  being  always  deemed  an  essential  in  an 
American  critic  that  he  should  understand  his  subject. 
Too  many  of  them,  indeed,  justify  the  retort  of  the  man 
who  derided  the  claims  to  knowledge  of  life  set  up  by  a 
neighbor,  that  "  had  been  to  meetin'  and  had  been  to 
mill."  We  can  all  obtain  some  notions  of  the  portion 
of  a  subject  that  is  placed  immediately  before  our  eyes  ; 
the  difficulty  is  to  understand  that  which  we  have  no 
means  of  studying. 

On  the  subject  of  the  nautical  incidents  of  this  book, 
we  have  endeavored  to  be  as  exact  as  our  authorities 
will  allow.  We  are  fully  aware  of  the  importance  of 
writing  what  the  world  thinks,  rather  than  what  is  true, 
and  are  not  conscious  of  any  very  palpable  errors  of 
this  nature. 

It  is  no  more  than  fair  to  apprise  the  reader  that  our 
tale  is  not  completed  in  the  first  part,  or  the  volumes 
that  are  now  published.  This  the  plan  of  the  book 
would  not  permit ;  but  we  can  promise  those  who  may 
feel  any  interest  in  the  subject,  that  the  season  shall  not 
pass  away,  so  far  as  it  may  depend  on  ourselves,  without 


PREFACE. 


bringing  the  narrative  to  a  close.  Poor  Captain  "Wal- 
lingford  is  now  in  his  sixty-fifth  year,  and  is  naturally 
desirous  of  not  being  hung  up  long  on  the  tenter-hooka 
of  expectation  so  near  the  close  of  life.  The  old  gentle 
man  having  seen  much  and  suffered  much,  is  entitled 
to  end  his  days  in  peace.  In  this  mutual  frame  of  mind 
between  the  principal  and  his  editors,  the  public  shall 
have  no  cause  to  complain  of  unnecessary  delay,  what 
ever  may  be  its  rights  of  the  same  nature  on  other  sub 
jects. 

The  author — perhaps  editor  would  be  the  better  word 
— does  not  feel  himself  responsible  for  all  the  notions 
advanced  by  the  hero  of  this  tale,  and  it  may  be  as  well 
to  say  as  much.  That  one  born  in  the  Revolution 
should  think  differently  from  the  men  of  the  present 
day,  in  a  hundred  things,  is  to  be  expected.  It  is  in 
just  this  difference  of  opinion  that  the  lessons  of  the 
book  are  to  be  found. 


AFLOAT    AND    ASHORE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

"  And  I— my  joy  of  life  is  fled, 
My  spirit's  power,  my  bosom's  glow ; 
The  raven  locks  that  grac'd  my  head, 
Wave  in  a  wreath  of  snow ! 
And  where  the  star  of  youth  arose 
I  deem'd  life's  lingering  ray  should  close ; 
And  those  lov'd  trees  my  tomb  o'ershade, 
Beneath  whose  arching  bowers  my  childhood  play'd." 

MRS.  HEMANS. 

I  WAS  born  in  a  valley  not  very  remote  from  the  sea.  My 
father  had  been  a  sailor  in  youth,  and  some  of  my  earliest  rec 
ollections  are  connected  with  the  history  of  his  adventures  and 
the  recollections  they  excited.  He  had  been  a  boy  in  the  war 
of  the  Revolution,  and  had  seen  some  service  in  the  shipping  of 
that  period.  Among  other  scenes  he  witnessed,  he  had  been 
on  board  the  Trumbull  in  her  action  with  the  Watt — the  hard 
est-fought  naval  combat  of  that  war — and  he  particularly  de 
lighted  in  relating  its  incidents.  He  had  been  wounded  in  the 
battle,  and  bore  the  marks  of  the  injury  in  a  scar  that  slightly 
disfigured  a  face  that,  without  this  blemish,  would  have  been 
singularly  handsome.  My  mother,  after  my  poor  father's  death, 
always  spoke  of  even  this  scar  as  a  beauty-spot.  Agreeably  to 
my  own  recollections  the  mark  scarcely  deserved  that  commen 
dation,  as  it  gave  one  side  of  the  face  a  grim  and  fierce  appear* 
ance,  particularly  when  its  owner  was  displeased. 

My  father  died  on  the  farm  on  which  he  was  born,  and  which 
descended  to  him  from  his  great-grandfather,  an  English  emi- 


12  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

grant  that  had  purchased  it  of  the  Dutch  colonist  who  had 
originally  cleared  it  from  the  woods.  The  place  was  called 
Clawbonny,  which  some  said  was  good  Dutch,  others  bad 
Dutch ;  and  now  and  then  a  person  ventured  a  conjecture  that 
it  might  be  Indian.  Bonny  it  was,  in  one  sense  at  least,  for  a 
lovelier  farm  there  is  not  on  the  whole  of  the  wide  surface  of 
the  Empire  State.  What  does  not  always  happen  in  this  wicked 
world,  it  was  as  good  as  it  was  handsome.  It  consisted  of  three 
hundred  and  seventy-two  acres  of  first-rate  land,  either  arable  or 
of  rich  river  bottom  in  meadows,  and  of  more  than  a  hundred 
of  rocky  mountain  side,  that  was  very  tolerably  covered  with 
wood.  The  first  of  our  family  who  owned  the  place  had  built  a 
substantial  one-story  stone  house,  that  bears  the  date  of  1 707  on 
one  of  its  gables  ;  and  to  which  each  of  his  successors  had  add 
ed  a  little,  until  the  whole  structure  got  to  resemble  a  cluster  of 
cottages  thrown  together  without  the  least  attention  to  order  or 
regularity.  There  were  a  porch,  a  front  door,  and  a  lawn,  how 
ever  ;  the  latter  containing  half  a  dozen  acres  of  a  soil  as  black 
as  one's  hat,  and  nourishing  eight  or  ten  elms  that  were  scattered 
about  as  if  their  seeds  had  been  sown  broadcast.  In  addition 
to  the  trees  and  a  suitable  garniture  of  shrubbery,  this  lawn  was 
coated  with  a  sward  that,  in  the  proper  seasons,  rivalled  all  I 
have  read  or  imagined  of  the  emerald  and  shorn  slopes  of  the 
Swiss  valleys. 

Clawbonny,  while  it  had  all  the  appearance  of  being  the  resi 
dence  of  an  affluent  agriculturist,  had  none  of  the  pretension 
of  these  later  times.  The  house  had  an  air  of  substantial  com 
fort  without,  an  appearance  that  its  interior  in  no  manner  con 
tradicted.  The  ceilings  were  low,  it  is  true,  nor  were  the  rooms 
particularly  large ;  but  the  latter  were  warm  in  winter,  cool  in 
summer,  and  tidy,  neat,  and  respectable  all  the  year  round.  Both 
the  parlors  had  carpets,  as  had  the  passages  and  all  the  better 
bedrooms  ;  and  there  were  an  old-fashioned  chintz  settee,  well 
stuffed  and  cushioned,  and  curtains  in  the  "big  parlor,"  as  we 
called  the  best  apartment — the  pretending  name  of  drawing- 
room  not  having  reached  our  valley  as  far  back  as  the  year  1 796, 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  13 

or  that  in  which  my  recollections  of  the  place,  as  it  then  existed, 
are  the  most  vivid  and  distinct. 

We  had  orchards,  meadows,  and  ploughed  fields  all  around 
us ;  while  the  barns,  granaries,  styes,  and  other  buildings  of  the 
farm,  were  of  solid  stone,  like  the  dwelling,  and  all  in  capital 
condition.  In  addition  to  the  place,  which  he  inherited  from 
my  grandfather  quite  without  any  incumbrance,  well  stocked 
and  supplied  with  utensils  of  all  sorts,  my  father  had  managed 
to  bring  with  him  from  sea  some  fourteen  or  fifteen  thousand 
dollars,  which  he  carefully  invested  in  mortgages  in  the  county. 
He  got  twenty-seven  hundred  pounds  currency  with  my  mother, 
similarly  bestowed ;  and,  two  or  three  great  landed  proprietors 
and  as  many  retired  merchants  from  York  excepted,  Captain 
Wallingford  was  generally  supposed  to  be  one  of  the  stiffest 
men  in  Ulster  county.  1  do  not  know  exactly  how  true  was 
this  report ;  though  I  never  saw  any  thing  but  the  abundance 
of  a  better  sort  of  American  farm  under  the  paternal  roof,  and 
I  know  that  the  poor  were  never  sent  away  empty-handed.  It 
is  true  that  our  wine  was  made  of  currants ;  but  it  was  deli 
cious,  and  there  was  always  a  sufficient  stock  in  the  cellar  to 
enable  us  to  drink  it  three  or  four  years  old.  My  father,  how 
ever,  had  a  small  private  collection  of  his  own,  out  of  which  he 
would  occasionally  produce  a  bottle ;  and  I  remember  to  have 
heard  Governor  George  Clinton,  afterward  Vice  President,  who 
was  an  Ulster  county  man,  and  who  sometimes  stopped  at  Claw 
bonny  in  passing,  say  that  it  was  excellent  East  India  Madeira. 
As  for  clarets,  burgundy,  hock,  and  champagne,  they  were  wines 
then  unknown  in  America,  except  on  the  tables  of  some  of  the 
principal  merchants,  and  here  and  there  on  that  of  some  travel 
led  gentleman  of  an  estate  larger  than  common.  When  I  say 
that  Governor  George  Clinton  used  to  stop  occasionally  and 
taste  my  father's  Madeira,  I  do  not  wish  to  boast  of  being  classed 
with  those  who  then  composed  the  gentry  of  the  state.  To 
this,  in  that  day,  we  could  hardly  aspire,  though  the  substantial 
hereditary  property  of  my  family  gave  us  a  local  consideration 
that  placed  us  a  good  deal  above  the  station  of  ordinary  yeo 


14  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

men.  Had  we  lived  in  one  of  the  large  towns,  our  association 
would  unquestionably  have  been  with  those  who  are  usually 
considered  to  be  one  or  two  degrees  beneath  the  highest  class. 
These  distinctions  were  much  more  marked  immediately  after  the 
war  of  the  Revolution  than  they  are  to-day ;  and  they  are  more 
marked  to-day,  even,  than  all  but  the  most  lucky  or  the  most 
meritorious,  whichever  fortune  dignifies,  are  willing  to  allow. 

The  courtship  between  my  parents  occurred  while  my  father 
was  at  home  to  be  cured  of  the  wounds  he  had  received  in  the 
engagement  between  the  Trumbull  and  the  Watt.  I  have  al 
ways  supposed  this  was  the  moving  cause  why  my  mother  fan 
cied  that  the  grim-looking  scar  on  the  left  side  of  my  father's 
face  was  so  particularly  becoming.  The  battle  was  fought  in 
June,  1780,  and  my  parents  were  married  in  the  autumn  of  the 
same  year.  My  father  did  not  go  to  sea  again  until  after  my  birth, 
which  took  place  the  very  day  that  Cornwallis  capitulated  at 
Yorktovvn.  These  combined  events  set  the  young  sailor  in  mo 
tion,  for  he  felt  he  had  a  family  to  provide  for,  and  he  wished  to 
make  one  more  mark  on  the  enemy  in  return  for  the  beauty-spot 
his  wife  so  gloried  in.  He  accordingly  got  a  commission  in  a 
privateer,  made  two  or  three  fortunate  cruises,  and  was  able  at 
the  peace  to  purchase  a  prize-brig,  which  he  sailed  as  master 
and  owner  until  the  year  1790,  when  he  was  recalled  to  the  pa 
ternal  roof  by  the  death  of  my  grandfather.  Being  an  only  son, 
the  captain,  as  my  father  was  uniformly  called,  inherited  the 
land,  stock,  utensils,  and  crops,  as  already  mentioned ;  while  the 
six  thousand  pounds  currency  that  were  "  at  use,"  went  to  my 
two  aunts,  who  were  thought  to  be  well  married  to  men  in  their 
own  class  of  life,  in  adjacent  counties. 

My  father  never  went  to  sea  after  he  inherited  Clawbonny. 
From  that  time  down  to  the  day  of  his  death,  he  remained  on 
his  farm,  with  the  exception  of  a  single  winter  passed  in  Albany 
as  one  of  the  representatives  of  the  county.  In  his  day  it  was 
a  credit  to  a  man  to  represent  a  county,  and  to  hold  office  under 
the  state :  though  the  abuse  of  the  elective  principle,  not  to  say 
of  the  appointing  power,  has  since  brought  about  so  great  a 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  15 

change.  Then  a  member  of  Congress  was  somebody ;  now  he  is 
only— a  member  of  Congress. 

We  were  but  two  surviving  children,  three  of  the  family  dy 
ing  infants,  leaving  only  my  sister  Grace  and  myself  to  console 
our  mother  in  her  widowhood.  The  dire  accident  which  placed 
her  in  this,  the  saddest  of  all  conditions  for  a  woman  who  had 
been  a  happy  wife,  occurred  in  the  year  1794,  when  I  was  in  my 
thirteenth  year,  and  Grace  was  turned  of  eleven.  It  may  be 
well  to  relate  the  particulars. 

There  was  a  mill,  just  where  the  stream  that  runs  through 
our  valley  tumbles  down  to  a  level  below  that  on  which  the  farm 
lies,  and  empties  itself  into  a  small  tributary  of  the  Hudson. 
This  mill  was  on  our  property,  and  was  a  source  of  great  con 
venience  and  of  some  profit  to  my  father.  There  he  ground  all 
the  grain  that  was  consumed  for  domestic  purposes  for  several 
miles  around ;  and  the  tolls  enabled  him  to  fatten  his  porkers 
and  beeves,  in  a  way  to  give  both  a  sort  of  established  charac 
ter.  In  a  word,  the  mill  was  the  concentrating  point  for  all  the 
products  of  the  farm,  there  being  a  little  landing  on  the  margin 
of  the  creek  that  put  up  from  the  Hudson,  whence  a  sloop  sailed 
weekly  for  town.  My  father  passed  half  his  time  about  the 
mill  and  landing,  superintending  his  workmen,  and  particularly 
giving  directions  about  the  fitting  of  the  sloop,  which  was  his 
property  also,  and  about  the  gear  of  the  mill.  He  was  clever, 
certainly,  and  had  made  several  useful  suggestions  to  the  mill 
wright  who  occasionally  came  to  examine  and  repair  the  works ; 
but  he  was  by  no  means  so  accurate  a  mechanic  as  he  fancied 
himself  to  be.  He  had  invented  some  new  mode  of  arresting 
the  movement,  and  of  setting  the  machinery  in  motion  when 
necessary;  what  it  was,  I  never  knew,  for  it  was  not  named  at 
Clawbonny  after  the  fatal  accident  occurred.  '  One  day,  how 
ever,  in  order  to  convince  the  millwright  of  the  excellence  of 
this  improvement,  my  father  caused  the  machinery  to  be  stop 
ped,  and  then  placed  his  own  weight  upon  the  large  wheel,  in 
order  to  manifest  the  sense  he  felt  in  the  security  of  his  inven 
tion.  He  was  in  the  very  act  of  laughing  exultingly  at  the 


16  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

manner  in  which  the  millwright  shook  his  head  at  the  risk  he 
ran,  when  the  arresting  power  lost  its  control  of  the  machinery, 
the  heavy  head  of  water  burst  into  the  buckets,  and  the  wheel 
whirled  round  carrying  my  unfortunate  father  with  it.  I  was 
an  eye-witness  of  the  whole,  and  saw  the  face  of  my  parent,  as 
the  wheel  turned  it  from  me,  still  expanded  in  mirth.  There 
was  but  one  revolution  made,  when  the  wright  succeeded  in 
stopping  the  works.  This  brought  the  great  wheel  back  nearly 
to  its  original  position,  and  I  fairly  shouted  with  hysterical 
delight  when  I  saw  my  father  standing  in  his  tracks,  as  it  might 
be,  seemingly  unhurt.  Unhnrt  he  would  have  been,  though  he 
must  have  passed  a  fearful  keel-hauling,  but  for  one  circum 
stance.  He  had  held  on  to  the  wheel  with  the  tenacity  of  a 
seaman,  since  letting  go  his  hold  would  have  thrown  him  down 
a  cliff  of  near  a  hundred  feet  in  depth,  and  he  actually  passed 
between  the  wheel  and  the  planking  beneath  it  unharmed, 
although  there  was  only  an  inch  or  two  to  spare  ;  but  in  rising 
from  this  fearful  strait,  his  head  had  been  driven  between  a  pro 
jecting  beam  and  one  of  the  buckets,  in  a  way  to  crush  one 
temple  in  upon  the  brain.  So  swift  and  sudden  had  been  the 
whole  thing,  that,  on  turning  the  wheel,  his  lifeless  body  was 
still  inclining  on  its  periphery,  retained  erect,  I  believe,  in  conse 
quence  of  some  part  of  his  coat  getting  attached  to  the  head  of 
a  nail.  This  was  the  first  serious  sorrow  of  my  life.  I  had 
always  regarded  my  father  as  one  of  the  fixtures  of  the  world ; 
as  a  part  of  the  great  system  of  the  universe ;  and  had  never 
contemplated  his  death  as  a  possible  thing.  That  another  rev 
olution  might  occur,  and  carry  the  country  back  under  the 
dominion  of  the  British  crown,  would  have  seemed  to  me  far 
more  possible  than  that  my  father  could  die.  Bitter  truth  now 
convinced  me  of  the  fallacy  of  such  notions. 

It  was  months  and  months  before  I  ceased  to  dream  of  this 
frightful  scene.  At  my  age,  all  the  feelings  were  fresh  and  plas 
tic,  and  grief  took  strong  hold  of  my  heart.  Grace  and  I  used 
to  look  at  each  other  without  speaking,  long  after  the  event, 
the  tears  starting  to  my  eyes,  and  rolling  down  her  cheeks,  our 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  17 

emotions  being  the  only  communications  between  us,  but  com 
munications  that  no  uttered  words  could  have  made  so  plain. 
Even  now,  I  allude  to  my  mother's  anguish  with  trembling.  She 
was  sent  for  to  the  house  of  the  miller,  where  the  body  lay,  and 
arrived  unapprised  of  the  extent  of  the  evil.  Never  can  I — 
never  shall  I  forget  the  outbreakings  of  her  sorrow,  when  she 
learned  the  whole  of  the  dreadful  truth.  She  was  in  fainting 
fits  for  hours,  one  succeeding  another,  and  then  her  grief  found 
tongue.  There  was  no  term  of  endearment  that  the  heart  of 
woman  could  dictate  to  her  speech,  that  was  not  lavished  on 
the  lifeless  clay.  She  called  the  dead  "  her  Miles,"  "  her  be 
loved  Miles,"  "  her  husband,"  "  her  own  darling  husband,"  and 
by  such  other  endearing  epithets.  Once  she  seemed  as  if  reso 
lute  to  arouse  the  sleeper  from  his  endless  trance,  and  she  said, 
solemnly,  "Father — dear,  dearest  father !"  appealing  as  it  might 
be  to  the  parent  of  her  children,  the  tenderest  and  most  com 
prehensive  of  all  woman's  terms  of  endearment — "  Father — dear, 
dearest  father !  open  your  eyes  and  look  upon  your  babes — 
your  precious  girl,  and  noble  boy !  Do  not  thus  shut  out  their 
sight  for  ever !" 

But  it  was  in  vain.  There  lay  the  lifeless  corpse,  as  insensi 
ble  as  if  the  spirit  of  God  had  never  had  a  dwelling  within  it. 
The  principal  injury  had  been  received  on  that  much-prized 
scar ;  and  again  and  again  did  my  poor  mother  kiss  both,  as  if 
her  caresses  might  yet  restore  her  husband  to  life.  All  would 
not  do.  The  same  evening,  the  body  was  carried  to  the  dwell 
ing,  and  three  days  later  it  was  laid  in  the  churchyard,  by  the 
side  of  three  generations  of  forefathers,  at  a  distance  of  only  a 
mile  from  Clawbonny.  That  funeral  service,  too,  made  a  deep 
impression  on  my  memory.  We  had  some  Church  of  England 
people  in  the  valley;  and  old  Miles  Wallingford,  the  first  of  the 
name,  a  substantial  English  franklin,  had  been  influenced  in  his 
choice  of  a  purchase  by  the  fact  that  one  of  Queen  Anne's 
churches  stood  so  near  the  farm.  To  that  little  chnrch,  a  tiny 
edifice  of  stone,  with  a  high,  pointed  roof,  without  steeple,  bell, 
or  vestry-room,  had  three  generations  of  us  been  taken  to  be 


18  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

christened,  and  three,  including  my  father,  had  been  taken  to 
be  buried.  Excellent,  kind-hearted,  just-minded  Mr.  Hardinge 
read  the  funeral  service  over  the  man  whom  his  own  father  had, 
in  the  same  humble  edifice,  christened.  Our  neighborhood  has 
much  altered  of  late  years ;  but,  then,  few  higher  than  mere 
laborers  dwelt  among  us,  who  had  not  some  sort  of  hereditary 
claim  to  be  beloved.  So  it  was  with  our  clergyman,  whose 
father  had  been  his  predecessor,  having  actually  married  my 
grand-parents.  The  son  had  united  my  father  and  mother,  and 
now  he  was  called  on  to  officiate  at  the  funeral  obsequies  of  the 
first.  Grace  and  I  sobbed  as  if  our  -hearts  would  break,  the 
whole  time  we  were  in  the  church ;  and  my  poor,  sensitive, 
nervous  little  sister  actually  shrieked  as  she  heard  the  sound  of 
the  first  clod  that  fell  upon  the  coffin.  Our  mother  was  spared 
that  trying  scene,  finding  it  impossible  to  support  it.  She  re 
mained  at  home,  on  her  knees,  most  of  the  day  on  which  the 
funeral  occurred. 

Time  soothed  our  sorrows,  though  my  mother,  a  woman  of 
more  than  common  sensibility,  or,  it  were  better  to  say,  of  un 
common  affections,  never  entirely  recovered  from  the  effects  of 
her  irreparable  loss.  She  had  loved  too  well,  too  devotedly,  too 
engrossingly,  ever  to  think  of  a  second  marriage,  and  lived  only 
to  care  fur  the  interests  of  Miles  Wallingford's  children.  I 
firmly  believe  we  were  more  beloved  .because  we  stood  in  this 
relation  to  the  deceased,  than  because  we  were  her  own  natural 
offspring.  Her  health  became  gradually  undermined,  and,  three 
years  after  the  accident  of  the  mill,  Mr.  Hardinge  laid  her  at 
my  father's  side.  I  was  now  sixteen,  and  can  better  describe 
what  passed  during  the  last  days  of  her  existence,  than  what 
took  place  at  the  death  of  her  husband.  Grace  and  I  were  ap 
prised  of  what  was  so  likely  to  occur,  quite  a  month  before  the 
fatal  moment  arrived ;  and  we  were  not  so  much  overwhelmed 
with  sudden  grief  as  we  had  been  on  the  first  great  occasion  ot 
family  sorrow,  though  we  both  felt  our  loss  keenly,  and  my  sis 
ter,  I  think  I  may  almost  say,  inextinguishably.  Mr.  Hardinge 
had  us  both  brought  to  the  bedside,  to  listen  to  the  parting 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  19 

advice  of  our  dying  parent,  and  to  be  impressed  with  a  scene 
that  is  always  healthful,  if  rightly  improved.  "  You  baptized 
these  two  dear  children,  good  Mr.  Hardinge,"  she  said,  in  a 
voice  that  was  already  enfeebled  by  physical  decay,  "and  you 
signed  them  with  the  sign  of  the  cross,  in  token  of  Christ's 
death  for  them  ;  and  I  now  ask  of  your  friendship  and  pastoral 
care  to  see  that  they  are  not  neglected  at  the  most  critical 
period  of  their  lives — that  when  impressions  are  the  deepest, 
and  yet  the  most  easily  made.  God  will  reward  all  your  kind 
ness  to  the  orphan  children  of  your  friends."  The  excellent 
divine,  a  man  who  lived  more  for  others  than  for  himself,  made 
the  required  promises,  and  the  soul  of  my  mother  took  its 
flight  in  peace. 

Neither  my  sister  nor  myself  grieved  as  deeply  for  the  loss 
of  this  last  of  our  parents,  as  we  did  for  that  of  the  first.  We 
had  both  seen  so  many  instances  of  her  devout  goodness,  had 
been  witnesses  of  so  great  a  triumph  of  her  faith,  as  to  feel  an 
intimate,  though  silent,  persuasion  that  her  death  was  merely  a 
passage  to  a  better  state  of  existence — that  it  seemed  selfish  to 
regret.  Still,  we  wept  and  mourned,  even  while,  in  one  sense, 
I  think  we  rejoiced.  She  was  relieved  from  much  bodily 
suffering,  and  I  remember,  when  I  went  to  take  a  last  look  at 
her  beloved  face,  that  I  gazed  on  its  calm  serenity  with  a  feel 
ing  akin  to  exultation,  as  I  recollected  that  pain  could  no  longer 
exercise  dominion  over  her  frame,  and  that  her  spirit  was  then 
dwelling  in  bliss.  Bitter  regrets  came  later,  it  is  true,  and  these 
were  fully  shared — nay,  more  than  shared — by  Grace. 

After  the  death  of  my  father,  I  had  never  bethought  me  of 
the  manner  in  which  he  had  disposed  of  his  property.  I  heard 
something  said  of  his  will,  and  gleaned  a  little,  accidentally,  of 
the  forms  that  had  been  gone  through  in  proving  the  instrument, 
and  of  obtaining  its  probate.  Shortly  after  my  mother's  death, 
however,  Mr.  Hardinge  had  a  free  conversation  with  both  me 
and  Grace  on  the  subject,  when  we  learned,  for  the  first  time, 
the  disposition  that  had  been  made.  My  father  had  bequeathed 
to  mo  the  farm,  mill,  landing,  sloop,  stock,  utensils,  crops,  etc., 


20  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

etc.,  in  full  property ;  subject,  however,  to  my  mother's  use  of 
the  whole  until  I  attained  my  majority ;  after  which  I  was  to 
give  her  complete  possession  of  a  comfortable  wing  of  the  house, 
which  had  every  convenience  for  a  small  family  within  itself, 
certain  privileges  in  the  fields,  dairy,  styes,  orchards,  meadows, 
granaries,  etc.,  and  to  pay  her  three  hundred  pounds  currency, 
per  annum,  in  money.  Grace  had  four  thousand  pounds  that 
were  "  at  use,"  and  I  had  all  the  remainder  of  the  personal  prop 
erty,  which  yielded  about  five  hundred  dollars  a  year.  As  Iho 
farm,  ( sloop,  mill,  landing,  etc.,  produced  a  net  annual  income  of 
rather  more  than  a  thousand  dollars,  besides  all  that  was  con 
sumed  in  housekeeping,  I  was  very  well  off,  in  the  way  of  tem 
poral  things,  for  one  who  had  been  trained  in  habits  as  simple 
as  those  which  reigned  at  Clawbonny. 

My  father  had  left  Mr.  Hardinge  the  executor,  and  my  mother 
an  executrix  of  his  will,  with  survivorship.  He  had  also  made 
the  same  provision  as  respected  the  guardians.  Thus  Grace  and 
I  became  the  wards  of  the  clergyman  alone  on  the  death  of  our 
last  remaining  parent.  This  was  grateful  to  us  both,  for  we 
both  truly  loved  this  good  man,  and,  what  was  more,  we  loved 
his  children.  Of  these  there  were  two  of  ages  corresponding 
very  nearly  with  our  own  ;  Rupert  Hardinge  being  not  quite  a 
year  older  than  I  was  myself,  and  Lucy,  his  sister,  about  six 
months  younger  than  Grace.  We  were  all  four  strongly  at 
tached  to  each  other,  and  had  been  so  from  infancy,  Mr.  llar- 
dinge  having  had  charge  of  my  education  as  soon  as  I  was  taken 
from  a  woman's  school. 

I  cannot  say,  however,  that  Rupert  Hardinge  was  ever  a  boy 
to  give  his  father  the  delight  that  a  studious,  well-conducted, 
considerate,  and  industrious  child  has  it  so  much  in  his  power 
to  yield  to  his  parent.  Of  the  two,  I  was  much  the  best  scholar, 
and  had  been  pronounced  by  Mr.  Hardinge  fit  to  enter  college, 
a  twelvemonth  before  my  mother  died ;  though  she  declined 
sending  me  to  Yale,  the  institution  selected  by  my  father,  until 
my  school-fellow  was  similarly  prepared,  it  having  been  her  in 
tention  to  give  the  clergyman's  son  a  thorough  education,  in 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  21 

furtherance  of  his  father's  views  of  bringing  him  up  to  the 
church.  This  delay,  so  well  and  kindly  meant,  had  the  effect 
of  changing  the  whole  course  of  my  subsequent  life. 

My  father,  it  seems,  wished  to  make  a  lawyer  of  me,  with  the 
natural  desire  of  seeing  me  advanced  to  some  honorable  posi 
tion  in  the  state.  But  I  was  averse  to  any  thing  like  serious 
mental  labor,  and  was  greatly  delighted  when  my  mother  deter 
mined  to  keep  me  out  of  college  a  twelvemonth,  in  order  that 
my  friend  Rupert  might  be  my  classmate.  It  is  true  I  learned 
quick,  and  was  fond  of  reading ;  but  the  first  I  could  not  very 
well  help,  while  the  reading  I  liked  was  that  which  amused, 
rather  than  that  which  instructed  me.  As  for  Rupert,  though 
not  absolutely  dull,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  absolutely  clever  in 
certain  things,  he  disliked  mental  labor  even  more  than  myself, 
while  he  liked  self-restraint  of  any  sort  far  less.  His  father  was 
sincerely  pious,  and  regarded  his  sacred  office  with  too  much 
reverence  to  think  of  bringing  up  a  "  cosset-priest,"  though  he 
prayed  and  hoped  that  his  son's  inclinations,  under  the  guidance 
of  Providence,  would  take  that  direction.  He  seldom  spoke  of 
the  subject  himself,  but  I  ascertained  his  wishes  through  my 
confidential  dialogues  with  his  children.  Lucy  seemed  delighted 
with  the  idea,  looking  forward  to  the  time  when  her  brother 
would  officiate  in  the  same  desk  where  her  father  and  grand 
father  had  now  conducted  the  worship  of  God  for  more  than  half 
a  century ;  a  period  of  time  that  to  us  young  people  seemed  to 
lead  us  back  to  the  dark  ages  of  the  country.  And  ah1  this  the 
dear  girl  wished  for  her  brother,  in  connection  with  his  spiritual 
rather  than  his  temporal  interests,  inasmuch  as  the  living  was 
worth  only  a  badly-paid  salary  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds 
currency  per  annum,  together  with  a  small  but  comfortable 
rectory,  and  a  glebe  of  five-and-twenty  acres  of  very  tolerable 
land,  which  it  was  thought  no  sin,  in  that  day,  for  the  clergy 
man  to  work  by  means  of  two  male  slaves,  whom,  with  as  many 
females,  he  had  inherited  as  part  of  the  chattels  of  his  mother. 

I  had  a  dozen  slaves,  also ;  negroes  who,  as  a  race,  had  been 
in  the  family  almost  as  long  as  Clawbonny.  About  half  of  these 


22  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

blacks  were  singularly  laborious  and  useful,  viz.,  four  males  and 
three  of  the  females  ;  but  several  of  the  remainder  were  enjoying 
otium,  and  not  altogether  without  dignitate,  as  heir-looms  to  be 
fed,  clothed,  and  lodged,  for  the  good  or  evil  they  had  done. 
There  were  some  small-fry  in  our  kitchens,  too,  that  used  to 
roll  about  on  the  grass,  and  munch  fruit  in  the  summer,  ad 
libitum  ;  and  stand  so  close  in  the  chimney-corners  in  cold 
weather,  that  I  have  often  fancied  they  must  have  been,  as  a 
legal  wit  of  New  York  once  pronounced  certain  eastern  coal 
mines  to  be,  incombustible.  These  negroes  all  went  by  the 
patronymic  of  Clawbonny,  there  being  among  them  Hector 
Clawbonny,  Venus  Clawbonny,  Caesar  Clawbonny,  Rose  Claw- 
bonny — who  was  as  black  as  a  crow — Romeo  Clawbonny,  and 
Julietta,  commonly  called  Julee,  Clawbonny ;  who  were,  with 
Pharaoh,  Potiphar,  Samson,  and  Nebuchadnezzar,  all  Clawbon 
ny  s  in  the  last  resort.  Neb,  as  the  namesake  of  the  herbivorous 
King  of  Babylon  was  called,  was  about  my  own  age,  and  had 
been  a  sort  of  humble  playfellow  from  infancy  ;  and  even  now, 
when  it  was  thought  proper  to  set  him  about  the  more  serious 
toil  which  was  to  mark  his  humble  career,  I  often  interfered  to 
call  him  away  to  be  my  companion  with  the  rod,  the  fowling- 
piece,  or  in  the  boat,  of  which  we  had  one  that  frequently  de 
scended  the  creek  and  navigated  the  Hudson  for  miles  at  a  time, 
under  my  command.  The  lad,  by  such  means,  and  through  an 
off-hand  friendliness  of  manner  that  I  rather  think  was  charac 
teristic  of  my  habits  at  that  day,  got  to  love  me  as  a  brother  or 
comrade.  It  is  not  easy  to  describe  the  affection  of  an  attached 
slave,  which  has  blended  with  it  the  pride  of  a  partisan,  the  so 
licitude  of  a  parent,  and  the  blindness  of  a  lover.  I  do  think 
Neb  had  more  gratification  in  believing  himself  particularly  be 
longing  to  Master  Miles,  than  I  ever  had  in  any  quality  or  thing 
I  could  call  my  own.  Neb,  moreover,  liked  a  vagrant  life,  and 
greatly  encouraged  Rupert  and  myself  in  idleness,  and  a  desulto 
ry  manner  of  misspending  hours  that  could  never  be  recalled. 
The  first  time  I  ever  played  truant  was  under  the  patronage  of 
Neb,  who  decoyed  me  away  from  my  books  to  go  nutting  on  the 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  23 

mountain,  stoutly  maintaining  that  chestnuts  were  just  as  good  as 
the  spelling-book,  or  any  primer  that  could  be  bought  in  York. 

I  have  forgotten  to  mention  that  the  death  of  my  mother, 
which  occurred  in  the  autumn,  brought  about  an  immediate 
change  in  the  condition  of  our  domestic  economy.  Grace  was 
too  young,  being  only  fourteen,  to  preside  over  such  a  house 
hold,  and  I  could  be  of  little  use  either  in  the  way  of  directing 
or  advising.  Mr.  Hardinge,  who  had  received  a  letter  to  that 
effect  from  the  dying  saint,  that  was  only  put  into  his  hand  the 
day  after  the  funeral,  with  a  view  to  give  her  request  the  great 
er  weight,  rented  the  rectory,  and  came  to  Clawbonny  to  live, 
bringing  with  him  both  his  children.  My  mother  knew  that  his 
presence  would  be  of  the  greatest  service  to  the  orphans  she  left 
behind  her ;  while  the  money  saved  from  his  own  household  ex 
penses  might  enable  this  single-minded  minister  of  the  altar  to 
lay  by  a  hundred  or  two  for  Lucy,  who,  at  his  demise,  might 
otherwise  be  left  without  a  penny,  as  it  was  then  said,  cents  not 
having  yet  come  much  into  fashion. 

This  removal  gave  Grace  and  me  much  pleasure,  for  she  was 
as  fond  of  Lucy  as  I  was  of  Rupert,  and,  to  tell  the  truth,  so 
was  I,  too.  Four  happier  young  people  were  not  to  be  found 
in  the  state  than  we  thus  became,  each  and  all  of  us  finding  in 
the  arrangement  exactly  the  association  which  was  most  agreea 
ble  to  our  feelings.  Previously,  we  only  saw  each  other  every 
day ;  now,  we  saw  each  other  all  day.  At  night  we  separated 
at  an  early  hour,  it  is  true,  each  having  his  or  her  room ;  but  it 
was  to  meet  at  a  still  earlier  hour  the  next  morning,  and  to  re 
sume  our  amusements  in  company.  From  study,  all  of  us  were 
relieved  for  a  month  or  two,  and  we  wandered  through  the 
fields,  nutted,  gathered  fruit,  or  saw  others  gather  it  as  well  as  the 
crops,  taking  as  much  exercise  as  possible  in  the  open  air,  equally 
for  the  good  of  our  bodies  and  the  lightening  of  our  spirits. 

I  do  not  think  vanity,  or  any  feeling  connected  with  self-love, 
misleads  me,  when  I  say  it  would  have  been  difficult  to  find 
four  young  people  more  likely  to  attract  the  attention  of  a 
passer-by,  than  we  four  were,  in  the  fall  of  1797.  As  for  Ru- 


24  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

pert  Hardinge,  he  resembled  his  mother,  and  was  singularly 
handsome  in  face,  as  well  as  graceful  in  movements.  He  had  a 
native  gentility  of  air,  of  which  he  knew  how  to  make  the 
most,  and  a  readiness  of  tongue  and  a  flow  of  spirits  that  ren 
dered  him  an  agreeable,  if  not  a  very  instructive  companion.  I 
was  not  ill-looking,  myself,  though  far  from  possessing  the  strik 
ing  countenance  of  my  young  associate.  In  manliness,  strength, 
and  activity,  however,  I  had  essentially  the  advantage  over  him, 
few  youths  of  my  age  surpassing  me  in  masculine  qualities  of 
this  nature,  after  1  had  passed  my  twelfth  year.  My  hair  was  a 
dark  aub»rn,  and  it  was  the  only  thing  about  my  face,  perhaps, 
that  would  cause  a  stranger  to  notice  it ;  but  this  hung  about 
my  temples  and  down  my  neck  in  rich  ringlets,  until  frequent 
applications  of  the  scissors  brought  it  into  something  like  sub 
jection.  It  never  lost  its  beauty  entirely,  and  though  now 
white  as  snow,  it  is  still  admired.  But  Grace  was  the  one  of 
the  party  whose  personal  appearance  would  be  most  likely  to 
attract  attention.  Her  face  beamed  with  sensibility  and  feeling, 
being  one  of  those  countenances  on  which  nature  sometimes 
delights  to  impress  the  mingled  radiance,  sweetness,  truth,  and 
sentiment,  that  men  ascribe  to  angels.  Her  hair  was  lighter 
than  mine ;  her  eyes  of  a  heavenly  blue,  all  softness  and  tender 
ness  ;  her  cheeks  just  of  the  tint  of  the  palest  of  the  colored 
roses ;  and  her  smile  so  full  of  gentleness  and  feeling,  that, 
again  and  again,  it  has  controlled  my  ruder  and  more  violent 
emotions,  when  they  were  fast  getting  the  mastery.  In  form, 
some  persons  might  have  thought  Grace,  in  a  slight  degree,  too 
fragile,  though  her  limbs  would  have  been  delicate  models  for 
the  study  of  a  sculptor. 

Lucy,  too,  had  certainly  great  perfection,  particularly  in  fig 
ure;  though  m  the  crowd  of  beauty  that  has  been  so  profusely 
lavished  on  the  youthful  hi  this  country,  she  would  not  have 
been  at  all  remarked  in  a  large  assembly  of  young  American 
girls.  Her  face  was  pleasing,  nevertheless ;  and  there  was  a 
piquant  contrast  between  the  raven  blackness  of  her  hair,  the 
deep  blue  of  her  eyes,  and  the  dazzling  whiteness  of  her  skin 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  25 

ITer  color,  too,  was  high,  and  changeful  with  her  emotions.  As 
f  >r  teeth,  she  had  a  set  that  one  might  have  travelled  weeks  to 
meet  with  their  equals ;  and,  though  she  seemed  totally  uncon 
scious  of  the  advantage,  she  had  a  natural  manner  of  showing 
them,  that  would  have  made  a  far  less  interesting  face  alto 
gether  agreeable.  Her  voice  and  laugh,  too,  when  happy  and 
free  from  care,  were  joy ousness  itself. 

It  would  be  saying  too  much,  perhaps,  to  assert  that  any 
human  being  was  ever  totally  indifferent  to  his  or  her  personal 
appearance.  Still,  I  do  not  think  either  of  our  party,  Rupert 
alone  excepted,  ever  thought  on  the  subject,  unless  as  it  related 
to  others,  down  to  the  period  of  which  I  am  now  writing.  I 
knew,  and  saw,  and  felt  that  my  sister  was  far  more  beautiful 
than  any  of  the  young  girls  of  her  age  and  condition  that  I  had 
seen  in  her  society ;  and  I  had  pleasure  and  pride  in  the  fact. 
I  knew  that  I  resembled  her  in  some  respects,  but  I  was  never 
coxcomb  enough  to  imagine  I  had  half  her  good-looks,  even  al 
lowing  for  difference  of  sex.  My  own  conceit,  so  far  as  I  then 
had  any — plenty  of  it  came,  a  year  or  two  later — but  my  own 
conceit,  in  1797,  rather  ran  in  the  direction  of  my  athletic  prop 
erties,  physical  force,  which  was  unusually  great  for  sixteen, 
and  stature.  As  for  Rupert,  I  would  not  have  exchanged  these 
manly  qualities  for  twenty  times  his  good  looks,  and  a  thought 
of  envy  never  crossed  my  mind  on  the  subject.  I  fancied  it 
might  be  well  enough  for  a  parson  to  be  a  little  delicate,  and  a 
good  deal  handsome  ;  but  for  one  who  intended  to  knock  about 
the  world  as  I  had  it  already  in  contemplation  to  do,  strength, 
health,  vigor,  courage,  and  activity,  were  much  more  to  be  de 
sired  than  beauty. 

Lucy  I  never  thought  of  as  handsome  at  all.  I  saw  she  was 
pleasing ;  fancied  she  was  even  more  so  to  me  than  to  any  one 
else ;  and  I  never  looked  upon  her  sunny,  cheerful,  and  yet  per 
fectly  feminine  face,  without  a  feeling  of  serenity  and  happiness. 
As  for  her  honest  eyes,  they  invariably  met  my  own  with  an 
open  frankness  that  said,  as  plainly  as  eyes  could  say  any  thing, 
that  there  was  nothing  to  be  concealed. 
2 


26  AFLOAT      AND      A  SHORTS. 


CHAPTER  II. 

"  Cease  to  persuade,  my  loving  Proteus ; 
Home-keeping  youth  have  ever  homely  wits  ;-— 
I  rather  would  entreat  thy  company 
To  see  the  wonders  of  the  world  abroad." 

Two  GENTLEMEN  OF— CLAWBONNY. 

Do  RING  the  year  that  succeeded  after  I  was  prepared  for  Yale, 
Mr.  Hardinge  had  pursued  a  very  judicious  course  with  my  ed 
ucation.  Instead  of  pushing  me  into  books  that  were  to  be  read 
in  the  regular  course  of  that  institution,  with  the  idea  of  light 
ening  my  future  labors,  which  would  only  have  been  providing 
excuses  for  future  idleness,  we  went  back  to  the  elementary 
works,  until  even  he  was  satisfied  that  nothing  more  remained 
to  be  done  in  that  direction.  I  had  my  two  grammars  literally 
by  heart,  notes  and  all.  Then  we  revised  as  thoroughly  as  pos 
sible,  reading  every  thing  anew,  and  leaving  no  passage  unex 
plained.  I  learned  to  scan,  too,  a  fact  that  was  sufficient  to 
make  a  reputation  for  a  scholar,  in  America,  half  a  century 
since.*  After  this  we  turned  our  attention  to  mathematics,  a 
science  Mr.  Hardinge  rightly  enough  thought  there  was  no  dan 
ger  of  my  acquiring  too  thoroughly.  We  mastered  arithmetic, 
of  which  I  had  a  good  deal  of  previous  knowledge,  in  a  few 
weeks,  and  then  I  went  through  trigonometry,  with  some  of  the 
more  useful  problems  in  geometry.  This  was  the  point  at  which 
I  had  arrived  when  my  mother's  death  occurred. 

*  The  writer's  master  taught  him  to  scan  Virgil  in  1801.  This  gentleman  was  a 
graduate  of  Oxford.  In  1803,  the  class  to  which  the  writer  then  belonged  in  Yale,  was 
the  first  that  ever  attempted  to  scan  in  that  institution.  The  quantities  were  in  sad 
discredit  in  this  country  years  after  this,  though  Columbia  and  Harvard  were  a  little 
in  advance  of  Yale.  All  that  was  ever  done  in  the  last  college,  during  the  writer"  • 
time,  was  to  scan  the  ordinary  hexameter  of  Homer  and  Virgil. 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  27 

As  for  myself,  I  frankly  admit  a  strong  disinclination  to  be 
learned.  The  law  I  might  be  forced  to  study,  but  practising  it 
was  a  thing  my  mind  had  long  been  made  up  never  to  do. 
There  was  a  small  vein  of  obstinacy  in  my  disposition  that 
would  have  been  very  likely  to  carry  me  through  in  such  a  de 
termination,  even  had  my  mother  lived,  though  deference  to  her 
wishes  would  certainly  have  carried  me  as  far  as  the  license. 
Even  now  she  was  no  more  I  was  anxious  to  ascertain  whether 
she  had  left  any  directions  or  requests  on  the  subject,  either  of 
which  would  have  been  laws  to  me.  I  talked  with  Rupert  on 
this  matter,  and  was  a  little  shocked  with  the  levity  with  which 
he  treated  it.  "  What  difference  can  it  make  to  your  parents, 
now,"  he  said,  with  an  emphasis  that  grated  on  my  nerves, 
"  whether  you  become  a  lawyer,  or  a  merchant,  or  a  doctor,  or 
stay  here  on  your  farm  and  be  a  farmer,  like  your  father  ?" 

"  My  father  had  been  a  sailor,"  I  answered,  quick  as  lightning. 

"  True  ;  and  a  noble,  manly,  gentleman-like  calling  it  is !  T 
never  see  a  sailor  that  I  do  not  envy  him  his  advantages.  Why, 
Miles,  neither  of  us  has  ever  been  in  town  even,  while  your 
mother's  boatmen,  or  your  own  as  they  are  now,  go  there  regu 
larly  once  a  week.  I  would  give  the  world  to  be  a  sailor." 

"  You,  Rupert !  Why,  you  know  that  your  father  intends,  or 
rather  wishes,  that  you  should  become  a  clergyman." 

"  A  pretty  appearance  a  young  man  of  my  figure  would  make 
in  the  pulpit,  Miles,  or  wearing  a  surplice.  No,  no ;  there  have 
been  two  Hardinges  in  the  church  in  this  century,  and  I  have  a 
fancy  also  to  the  sea.  I  suppose  you  know  that  my  great 
grandfather  was  a  captain  in  the  navy,  and  he  brought  his  son 
up  a  parson ;  now  turn  about  is  fair  play,  and  the  parson  ought 
to  give  a  son  back  to  a  man-of-war.  I've  been  reading  the  lives 
of  naval  men,  and  it's  surprising  how  many  clergymen's  sons, 
in  England,  go  into  the  navy,  and  how  many  sailors'  sons  get  to 
be  priests." 

"  But  there  is  no  navy  in  this  country  now — not  even  a  single 
ship-of-war,  I  believe." 

"  That  is  the  worst  of  it.     Congress  did  pass  a  law  two  or 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 


three  years  since,  to  build  some  frigates,  but  they  have  nevei 
been  launched.  Now  Washington  has  gone  out  of  office  I  sup 
pose  we  shall  never  have  any  thing  good  in  the  country." 

I  revered  the  name  of  Washington,  in  common  with  the 
whole  country,  but  I  did  not  see  the  sequitur.  Rupert,  however, 
cared  little  for  logical  inferences,  usually  asserting  such  things 
as  he  wished,  and  wishing  such  as  he  asserted.  After  a  short 
pause,  he  continued  the  discourse. 

"  You  are  now  substantially  your  own  master,"  he  said,  "  and 
can  do  as  you  please.  Should  you  go  to  sea  and  not  like  it, 
you  have  only  to  come  back  to  this  place,  where  you  will  be 
just  as  much  the  master  as  if  you  had  remained  here  superin 
tending  cattle,  cutting  hay,  and  fattening  pork,  the  whole  time." 

"  I  am  not  my  own  master,  Rupert,  any  more  than  you  are, 
yourself.  I  am  your  father's  ward,  and  must  so  remain  for  more 
than  five  years  to  come.  I  am  just  as  much  under  his  control 
as  you,  yourself." 

Rupert  laughed  at  this,  and  tried  to  persuade  me  it  would  be 
a  good  thing  to  relieve  his  worthy  father  of  all  responsibility  in 
the  affair,  if  I  had  seriously  determined  never  to  go  to  Yale,  or 
to  be  a  lawyer,  by  going  off  to  sea  clandestinely,  and  returning 
when  I  was  ready.  If  I  ever  was  to  make  a  sailor,  no  time  was 
to  be  lost  ;  for  all  with  whom  he  had  conversed  assured  him  the 
period  of  life  when  such  things  were  best  learned,  was  between 
sixteen  and  twenty.  This  I  thought  probable  enough,  and  I 
parted  from  my  friend  with  a  promise  of  conversing  further 
with  him  on  the  subject  at  an  early  opportunity. 

I  am  almost  ashamed  to  confess  that  Rupert's  artful  sophism 
nearly  blinded  my  eyes  to  the  true  distinction  between  right 
and  wrong.  If  Mr.  Hardinge  really  felt  himself  bound  by  my 
father's  wishes  to  educate  me  for  the  bar,  and  my  own  repug 
nance  to  the  profession  was  unconquerable,  why  should  I  not 
relieve  him  from  the  responsibility  at  once  by  assuming  the 
right  to  judge  for  myself,  and  act  accordingly  ?  So  far  as  Mr. 
Hardinge  was  concerned,  I  had  little  difficulty  in  coming  to  a 
conclusion,  though  the  profound  deference  I  still  felt  for  my 


AFLOAT     AND     ASH  ORE.  29 

father's  wishes,  and  more  especially  for  those  of  my  sainted 
mother,  had  a  hold  on  my  heart,  and  an  influence  on  my  con 
duct,  that  was  not  so  easily  disposed  of.  I  determined  to  have 
a  frank  conversation  with  Mr.  Hardinge,  therefore,  in  order  to 
ascertain  how  far  either  of  my  parents  had  expressed  any  thing 
that  might  be  considered  obligatory  on  me.  My  plan  went  as 
far  as  to  reveal  my  own  desire  to  be  a  sailor,  and  to  see  the 
world,  but  not  to  let  it  be  known  that  I  might  go  off  without 
his  knowledge,  as  this  would  not  be  so  absolutely  relieving  the 
excellent  divine  "  from  all  responsibility  in  the  premises,"  as 
was  contemplated  in  the  scheme  of  his  own  son. 

An  opportunity  soon  occurred,  when  I  broached  the  subject 
by  asking  Mr.  Hardinge  whether  my  father,  in  his  will,  had 
ordered  that  I  should  be  sent  to  Yale,  and  there  be  educated 
for  the  bar.  He  had  done  nothing  of  the  sort.  Had  he  left 
any  particular  request,  writing,  or  message  on  the  subject,  at 
all?  Not  that  Mr.  Hardinge  knew.  It  is  true,  the  last  had 
heard  his  friend,  once  or  twice,  make  some  general  remark  which 
would  lead  one  to  suppose  that  Captain  Wallingford  had  some 
vague  expectations  I  might  go  to  the  bar,  but  nothing  further. 
My  mind  felt  vastly  relieved  by  these  admissions,  for  I  knew 
my  mother's  tenderness  too  well  to  anticipate  that  she  would 
dream  of  absolutely  dictating  in  a  matter  that  was  so  clearly 
connected  with  my  own  happiness  and  tastes.  When  ques 
tioned  on  this  last  point,  Mr.  Hardinge  did  not  hesitate  to  say 
that  my  mother  had  conversed  with  him  several  times  concern 
ing  her  views,  as  related  to  my  career  in  life.  She  wished  me 
to  go  to  Yale,  and  then  to  read  law,  even  though  I  did  not 
practise.  As  soon  as  this  much  was  said,  the  conscientious 
servant  of  God  paused,  to  note  the  effect  on  me.  Reading  dis 
appointment  in  my  countenance,  I  presume,  he  immediately 
added,  "  But  your  mother,  Miles,  laid  no  restraint  on  you ;  for 
she  knew  it  was  you  who  was  to  follow  the  career,  and  not  her 
self.  '  I  should  as  soon  think  of  commanding  whom  he  was 
to  marry,  as  to  think  of  forcing  a  profession  on  him,'  she  added. 
'  He  is  the  one  who  is  to  decide  this,  and  he  only.  We  may 


30  AFLOAT     AND     ASHORE. 

try  to  guide  and  influence  him,  but  not  go  beyond  this.  I 
leave  you,  dear  sir,  to  do  all  you  think  best  in  this  matter,  cer 
tain  that  your  own  wisdom  will  be  aided  by  the  providence  of 
a  kind  Master.'  " 

I  now  plainly  told  Mr.  Hardinge  my  desire  to  see  the  world, 
and  to  be  a  sailor.  The  divine  was  astounded  at  this  declara 
tion,  and  I  saw  that  he  was  grieved.  I  believe  some  religious 
objections  were  connected  with  his  reluctance  to  consent  to  my 
following  the  sea,  as  a  calling.  At  any  rate,  it  was  easy  to  dis 
cover  that  these  objections  were  lasting  and  profound.  In  that 
day,  few  Americans  travelled,  by  way  of  an  accomplishment,  at 
all ;  and  those  few  belonged  to  a  class  in  society  so  much  su 
perior  to  mine,  as  to  render  it  absurd  to  think  of  sending  me 
abroad  with  similar  views.  Nor  would  my  fortune  justify  such 
an  expenditure.  I  was  well  enough  off  to  be  a  comfortable  and 
free  housekeeper,  and  as  independent  as  a  king  on  my  own 
farm ;  living  in  abundance,  nay,  in  superfluity,  so  far  as  all  the 
ordinary  wants  were  concerned ;  but  men  hesitated  a  little  about 
setting  up  for  gentlemen  at  large,  in  the  year  1797.  The  coun 
try  was  fast  getting  rich,  it  is  true,  under  the  advantages  of  its 
neutral  position  ;  but  it  had  not  yet  been  long  enough  emanci 
pated  from  its  embarrassments  to  think  of  playing  the  nabob  on 
eight  hundred  pounds  currency  a  year.  The  interview  termi 
nated  with  a  strong  exhortation  from  my  guardian  not  to  think 
of  abandoning  my  books  for  any  project  as  visionary  and  use 
less  as  the  hope  of  seeing  the  world  in  the  character  of  a  com 
mon  sailor. 

I  related  all  this  to  Rupert,  who,  I  now  perceived  for  the  first 
time,  did  not  hesitate  to  laugh  at  some  of  his  father's  notions, 
as  puritanical  and  exaggerated.  He  maintained  that  every  one 
was  the  best  judge  of  what  he  liked,  and  that  the  sea  had  pro 
duced  quite  as  fair  a  proportion  of  saints  as  the  land.  He  was 
not  certain,  considering  the  great  difference  there  was  in  num 
bers,  that  more  good  men  might  not  be  traced  in  connection 
with  the  ocean,  than  in  connection  with  any  other  pursuit. 

"  Take  the  lawyers,  now,  for  instance,  Miles,"  he  said,  "  and 


AFLOAT     AND     ASHORE.  81 

what  can  you  make  out  of  them,  in  the  way  of  religion,  I  should 
like  to  know  ?  They  hire  their  consciences  out  at  so  much  per 
diem,  and  talk  and  reason  just  as  zealously  for  the  wrong  as 
they  do  for  the  right." 

"  By  George,  that  is  true  enough,  Rupert.  There  is  old  David 
Dockett,  I  remember  to  have  heard  Mr.  Hardinge  say,  always 
did  double  duty  for  his  fee,  usually  acting  as  witness  as  well  as 
advocate.  They  tell  me  he  will  talk  by  the  hour  of  facts  that  he 
and  his  clients  get  up  between  them,  and  look  the  whole  time 
as  if  he  believed  all  he  said  to  be  true." 

Rupert  laughed  at  this  sally,  and  pushed  the  advantage  it 
gave  him  by  giving  several  other  examples  to  prove  how  much 
his  father  was  mistaken  by  supposing  that  a  man  was  to  save 
his  soul  from  perdition  simply  by  getting  admitted  to  the  bar. 
After  discussing  the  matter  a  little  longer,  to  my  astonishment, 
Rupert  came  out  with  a  plain  proposal  that  he  and  I  should 
elope,  go  to  New  York,  and  ship  as  foremast-lads  in  some  India- 
man,  of  which  there  were  then  many  sailing,  at  the  proper  sea 
son,  from  that  port.  I  did  not  dislike  the  idea,  so  far  as  I  was 
myself  concerned ;  but  the  thought  of  accompanying  Rupert  in 
such  an  adventure  startled  me.  I  knew  I  was  sufficiently  secure 
of  the  future  to  be  able  to  risk  a  little  at  the  present  moment ; 
but  such  was  not  the  case  with  my  friend.  If  I  made  a  false 
step  at  so  early  an  age,  I  had  only  to  return  to  Clawbonny, 
where  I  was  certain  to  find  competence  and  a  home;  but,  with 
Rupert,  it  was  very  different.  Of  the  moral  hazards  I  ran,  I  then 
knew  nothing,  and,  of  course,  they  gave  me  no  concern.  Like 
all  inexperienced  persons,  I  supposed  myself  too  strong  in  virtue 
to  be  in  any  danger  of  contamination ;  and  this  portion  of  the 
adventure  was  regarded  with  the  self-complacency  with  which 
the  untried  are  apt  to  regard  their  own  powers  of  endurance.  I 
thought  myself  morally  invulnerable. 

But  Rupert  might  find  it  difficult  to  retrace  any  serious  error 
made  at  his  time  of  life.  This  consideration  would  have  put  an 
end  to  the  scheme,  so  far  as  my  companion  was  concerned,  had 
not  the  thought  suggested  itself  that  I  should  always  have  it  in 


32  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

my  own  power  to  aid  my  friend.  Letting  something  of  this 
sort  escape  me,  Rupert  was  not  slow  in  enlarging  on  it,  though 
this  was  done  with  great  tact  and  discretion.  He  proved  that, 
by  the  time  we  both  came  of  age,  he  would  be  qualified  to  com 
mand  a  ship,  and  that,  doubtless,  I  would  naturally  desire  to  invest 
some  of  my  spare  cash  in  a  vessel.  The  accumulations  of  my  es 
tate  alone  would  do  this  much,  within  the  next  five  years,  and  then 
a  career  of  wealth  and  prosperity  would  lie  open  before  us  both. 

"  It  is  a  good  thing,  Miles,  no  doubt,"  continued  this  tempt 
ing  sophist,  "  to  have  money  at  use,  and  a  large  farm,  and  a 
mill,  and  such  things ;  but  many  a  ship  nets  more  money  in  a 
single  voyage  than  your  whole  estate  would  sell  for.  Those 
that  begin  with  nothing,  too,  they  tell  me,  are  the  most  apt  to 
succeed ;  and  if  we  go  off  with  our  clothes  only,  we  shall  begin 
with  nothing,  too.  Success  may  be  said  to  be  certain.  I  like 
the  notion  of  beginning  with  nothing,  it  is  so  American !" 

It  is,  in  truth,  rather  a  besetting  weakness  of  America  to  sup 
pose  that  men  who  have  never  had  any  means  for  qualifying  them 
selves  for  particular  pursuits,  are  the  most  likely  to  succeed  in 
them  ;  and  .especially  to  fancy  that  those  who  "  begin  poor"  are 
in  a  much  better  way  for  acquiring  wealth  than  they  who  com 
mence  with  some  means ;  and  I  was  disposed  to  lean  to  this 
latter  doctrine  myself,  though  I  confess  I  cannot  recall  an  in 
stance  in  which  any  person  of  my  acquaintance  has  given  away 
his  capital,  however  large  and  embarrassing  it  may  have  been, 
in  order  to  start  fair  with  his  poorer  competitors.  Neverthe 
less,  there  was  something  taking,  to  my  imagination,  in  the 
notion  of  being  the  fabricator  of  my  own  fortune.  In  that 
day,  it  was  easy  to  enumerate  every  dwelling  on  the  banks  of 
the  Hudson  that  aspired  to  be  called  a  seat,  and  I  had  often 
heard  them  named  by  those  who  were  familiar  with  the  river.  1 
liked  the  thought  of  erecting  a  house  on  the  Clawbonny  prop 
erty  that  might  aspire  to  equal  claims,  and  to  be  the  owner  of  a 
seat;  though  only  after  I  had  acquired  the  means,  myself,  to 
carry  out  such  a  project.  At  present,  I  owned  only  a  house;  my 
ambition  was,  to  own  a  seat. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  33 

In  a  word,  Rupert  and  I  canvassed  this  matter  in  every  pos 
sible  way  for  a  month,  now  leaning  to  one  scheme,  and  now  to 
another,  until  I  determined  to  lay  the  whole  affair  before  the 
two  girls,  under  a  solemn  pledge  of  secrecy.  As  we  passed 
hours  in  company  daily,  opportunities  were  not  wanting  to 
effect  this  purpose.  I  thought  my  friend  was  a  little  shy  on 
this  project;  but  I  had  so  much  affection  for  Grace,  and  so 
much  confidence  in  Lucy's  sound  judgment,  that  I  was  not  to 
be  turned  aside  from  the  completion  of  my  purpose.  It  is  now 
more  than  forty  years  since  the  interview  took  place  in  which 
this  confidence  was  bestowed ;  but  every  minute  occurrence 
connected  with  it  is  as  fresh  in  my  mind  as  if  the  whole  had 
taken  place  only  yesterday. 

We  were  all  four  of  us  seated  on  a  rude  bench  that  my 
mother  had  caused  to  be  placed  under  the  shade  of  an  enor 
mous  oak  that  stood  on  the  most  picturesque  spot,  perhaps,  on 
the  whole  farm,  and  which  commanded  a  distant  view  of  one 
of  the  loveliest  reaches  of  the  Hudson.  Our  side  of  the  river, 
in  general,  does  not  possess  as  fine  views  as  the  eastern,  for  the 
reason  that  all  our  own  broken,  and  in  some  instances  magnifi 
cent  background  of  mountains,  fills  up  the  landscape  for  our 
neighbors,  while  we  are  obliged  to  receive  the  picture  as  it  is 
set  in  a  humbler  frame;  but  there  are  exquisite  bits  to  be  found 
on  the  western  bank,  and  this  was  one  of  the  very  best  of  them. 
The  water  was  as  placid  as  molten  silver,  and  the  sails  of  every 
vessel  in  sight  were  hanging  in  listless  idleness  from  their  sev 
eral  spars,  representing  commerce  asleep.  Grace  had  a  deep 
feeling  for  natural  scenery,  and  she  had  a  better  mode  of  ex 
pressing  her  thoughts,  on  such  occasions,  than  is  usual  with  girls 
of  fourteen.  She  first  drew  our  attention  to  the  view  by  one  of 
her  strong,  eloquent  bursts  of  eulogium ;  and  Lucy  met  the  re 
mark  with  a  truthful,  simple  answer,  that  showed  abundant 
sympathy  with  the  sentiment,  though  with  less  of  exaggeration 
of  manner  and  feeling,  perhaps.  I  seized  the  moment  as  favor 
able  for  my  purpose,  and  spoke  out. 
2* 


34  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

"  If  you  admire  a  vessel  so  much,  Grace,"  I  said,  "  you  will 
probably  be  glad  to  hear  that  I  think  of  becoming  a  sailor." 

A  silence  of  near  two  minutes  succeeded,  during  which  time 
I  affected  to  be  gazing  at  the  distant  sloops,  and  then  I  ventured 
to  steal  a  glance  at  my  companion.  I  found  Grace's  mild  eyes 
earnestly  riveted  on  my  face ;  and,  turning  from  their  anxious 
expression  with  a  little  uneasiness,  I  encountered  those  of  Lucy 
looking  at  me  as  intently  as  if  she  doubted  whether  her  ears  had 
not  deceived  her. 

"A  sailor.  Miles!" — my  sister  now  slowly  repeated — "r 
thought  it  settled  you  were  to  study  law." 

"  As  far  from  that  as  we  are  from  England ;  I've  fully  made 
up  my  mind  to  see  the  world  if  I  can ;  and  Rupert,  here" — 

"  What  of  Rupert,  here  f  Grace  asked,  a  sudden  change 
again  coming  over  her  sweet  countenance,  though  I  was  alto 
gether  too  inexperienced  to  understand  its  meaning.  "-He  is 
certainly  to  be  a  clergyman — his  dear  father's  assistant,  ami,  a 
long,  long,  very  long  time  hence,  his  successor." 

I  could  see  that  Rupert  was  whistling  on  a  low  key,  and 
affecting  to  look  cool;  but  my  sister's  solemn,  earnest,  aston 
ished  manner  had  more  effect  on  us  both,  I  believe,  than  either 
would  have  been  willing  to  own. 

"  Come,  girls,"  I  said  at  length,  putting  the  best  face  on  the 
matter,  "  there  is  no  use  in  keeping  secrets  from  you — but  re 
member  that  what  I  am  about  to  tell  you  is  a  secret,  and  on  no 
account  is  to  be  betrayed." 

"  To  no  one  but  Mr.  Ilardinge,"  answered  Grace.  "  If  you 
intend  to  be  a  sailor,  he  ought  to  know  it." 

"  That  comes  from  looking  at  our  duties  superficially" — 1  had 
caught  this  phrase  from  my  friend — "  and  not  distinguishing 
properly  between  their  shadows  and  their  substance." 

"  Duties  superficially  !  I  do  not  understand  you,  Miles.  Cer 
tainly  Mr.  Hardinge  ought  to  be  told  what  profession  you  mean 
to  follow.  Remember,  brother,  he  now  fills  the  place  of  ? 
parent  to  you." 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  35 

"  He  is  not  move  my  parent  than  Rupert's — I  fancy  you  will 
admit  that  much!" 

"  Rupert,  again  !  What  has  Rupert  to  do  with  your  going 
to  sea  ?" 

"  Promise  me,  then,  to  keep  my  secret,  and  you  shall  know 
all ;  both  you  and  Lucy  must  give  me  your  words.  I  know 
you  will  not  break  them,  when  once  given." 

"  Promise  him,  Grace,"  said  Lucy,  in  a  low  tone,  and  a  voice 
that,  even  at  that  age,  I  could  perceive  was  tremulous.  "  If  we 
promise,  we  shall  learn  every  thing,  and  then  may  have  some 
effect  on  these  headstrong  boys  by  our  advice." 

"  Boys  !  You  cannot  mean,  Lucy,  that  Rupert  is  not  to  be 
a  clergyman — your  father's  assistant ;  that  Rupert  means  to  be 
a  sailor,  too  ?" 

"  One  never  knows  what  boys  will  do.  Let  us  promise  them, 
dear ;  then  we  can  better  judge." 

"  I  do  promise  you,  Miles,"  said  my  sister,  in  a  voice  so 
solemn  as  almost  to  frighten  me. 

"  And  I,  Miles,"  added  Lucy ;  but  it  was  so  low,  I  had  to 
lean  forward  to  catch  the  syllables. 

"  This  is  honest  and  right" — it  was  honest,  perhaps,  but  very 
wrong — "  and  it  convinces  me  that  you  are  both  reasonable, 
and  will  be  of  use  to  us.  Rupert  and  I  have  both  made  up  our 
minds,  and  intend  to  be  sailors." 

Exclamations  followed  from  both  girls,  and  another  long 
silence  succeeded. 

"  As  for  the  law,  hang  all  law !"  I  continued,  hemming,  and 
determined  to  speak  like  a  man.  "  I  never  heard  of  a  Walling- 
ford  who  was  a  lawyer." 

"  But  you  have  both  heard  of  Hardinges  who  were  clergy 
men,"  said  Grace,  endeavoring  to  smile,  though  the  expression 
of  her  countenance  was  so  painful  that  even  now  I  dislike  tc 
recall  it. 

"  And  sailors,  too,"  put  in  Rupert,  a  little  more  stoutly  than 
I  thought  possible.  "  My  father's  grandfather  was  an  officer  in 
the  navy." 


'50  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

"  And  my  father  was  a  sailor  himself — in  the  navy,  too." 

"  But  there  is  no  navy  in  this  country  now,  Miles,"  returned 
Lucy,  in  an  expostulating  tone. 

"  What  of  that  ?  There  are  plenty  of  ships.  The  ocean  is 
just  as  big,  and  the  world  just  as  wide,  as  if  we  had  a  navy  to 
cover  the  first.  I  see  no  great  objection  on  that  account — do 
you,  Ru  ?" 

"  Certainly  not.  What  we  want  is,  to  go  to  sea,  and  that  can 
be  done  in  an  Indiaman,  as  weH  as  in  a  man-of-war." 

"  Yes,"  said  I,  stretching  myself  with  a  little  importance. 
"  I  fancy  an  Indiaman,  a  vessel  that  goes  all  the  way  to  Cal 
cutta,  round  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  in  the  track  of  Vasquez 
de  Gama,  isn't  exactly  an  Albany  sloop." 

"Who  is  Vasquez  de  Gama?"  demanded  Lucy,  with  so  much 
quickness  as  to  surprise  me. 

"  Why,  a  noble  Portuguese,  who  discovered  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  and  first  sailed  round  it,  and  then  went  to  the  Indies. 
You  see,  girls,  even  nobles  are  sailors,  and  why  should  not  Ru 
pert  and  I  be  sailors  ?" 

"  It  is  not  that,  Miles,"  my  sister  answered ;  "  every  honest 
calling  is  respectable.  Have  you  and  Rupert  spoken  to  Mr. 
Hardinge  on  this  subject  ?" 

"  Not  exactly — not  spoken — hinted  only — that  is,  blindly — 
not  so  as  to  be  understood,  perhaps." 

"  He  will  never  consent,  boys !"  and  this  was  uttered  with 
something  very  like  an  air  of  triumph. 

"We  have  no  intention  of  asking  it  of  him,  Grace.  Rupert 
and  I  intend  to  be  off  next  week,  without  saying  a  word  to  Mr. 
Hardinge  on  the  subject." 

Another  long,  eloquent  silence  succeeded,  during  which  I  saw 
Lucy  bury  her  face  in  her  apron,  while  the  tears  openly  ran 
down  my  sister's  cheek. 

"  You  do  not — cannot  mean  to  dc  any  thing  so  cruel,  Miles  !" 
Grace  at  length  said. 

"  It  is  exactly  because  it  will  not  be  cruel,  that  we  intend  to 
do  it."  Here  I  nudged  Rupert  with  my  elbow,  as  a  hint  that  I 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  37 

wanted  assistance ;  but  he  made  no  other  reply  than  an  answer 
ing  nudge,  which  I  interpreted  into  as  much  as  if  he  had  said  in 
terms,  "  You've  got  into  the  scrape  in  your  own  way,  and  you 
may  get  out  of  it  in  the  same  manner."  "  Yes,"  I  continued, 
finding  succor  hopeless — "  yes,  thafs  just  it." 

"  What  is  just  it,  Miles  ?  You  speak  in  a  way  to  show  that 
you  are  not  satisfied  with  yourself — neither  you  nor  Rupert  is 
satisfied  with  himself,  if  the  truth  were  known." 

"  I  not  satisfied  with  myself!  Rupert  not  satisfied  with  him 
self!  You  were  never  more  mistaken  in  your  life,  Grace.  If 
there  ever  were  two  boys  in  New  York  State  that  were  well  sat 
isfied  with  themselves,  they  are  just  Rupert  and  I." 

Here  Lucy  raised  her  face  from  her  apron  and  burst  into  a 
laugh,  the  tears  filling  her  eyes  all  the  while. 

"  Believe  them,  dear  Grace,"  she  said.  "  They  are  precisely 
two  self-satisfied,  silly  fellows,  that  have  got  some  ridiculous  no 
tions  in  their  heads,  and  then  begin  to  talk  about  '  superficial 
views  of  duties,'  and  all  such  nonsense.  My  father  will  set  it 
all  right,  and  the  boys  will  have  had  their  talk." 

"  Not  so  fast,  Miss  Lucy,  if  you  please.  Your  father  will  not 
know  a  syllable  of  the  matter  until  you  tell  him  all  about  it, 
after  we  are  gone.  We  intend  to  '  relieve  him  from  all  respon 
sibility  in  the  premises.' " 

This  last  sounded  very  profound,  and  a  little  magnificent,  to 
my  imagination ;  and  I  looked  at  the  girls  to  note  the  effect. 
Grace  was  weeping,  and  weeping  only ;  but  Lucy  looked  saucy 
and  mocking,  even  while  the  tears  bedewed  her  smiling  face,  as 
rain  sometimes  falls  while  the  sun  is  shining. 

"  Yes,"  I  repeated,  with  emphasis,  "  '  of  all  responsibility  in 
the  premises.'  I  hope  that  is  plain  English,  and  good  English, 
although  I  know  that  Mr.  Hardinge  has  been  trying  to  make 
you  both  so  simple  in  your  language,  that  you  turn  up  your 
noses  at  a  profound  sentiment,  whenever  you  hear  one." 

In  1797  the  grandiose  had  by  no  means  made  the  deep  inva 
sion  into  the  every -day  language  of  the  country,  that  it  has  since 
done.  Any  thing  of  the  sublime,  or  of  the  recondite  school 


u8  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

was  a  good  deal  more  apt  to  provoke  a  smile,  than  it  is  to-day — • 
the  improvement  proceeding,  as  I  have  understood  through  bet 
ter  judges  than  myself,  from  the  great  melioration  of  mind  and 
manners  that  is  to  be  traced  to  the  speeches  in  Congress,  and  to 
the  profundities  of  the  newspapers.  Rupert,  however,  frequent 
ly  ornamented  his  ideas,  and,  I  may  truly  say,  every  thing  am 
bitious  that  adorned  my  discourse  was  derived  from  his  exam 
ple.  I  almost  thought  Lucy  impertinent  for  presuming  to  laugh 
at  sentiments  which  came  from  such  a  source,  and,  by  way  of 
settling  my  own  correctness  of  thought  and  terms,  I  made  no 
bones  of  falling  back  on  my  great  authority,  by  fairly  pointing 
him  out. 

"  I  thought  so  !"  exclaimed  Lucy,  now  laughing  with  nil  her 
heart,  though  a  little  hysterically ;  "  I  thought  so,  for  this  is 
just  like  Rupert,  who  is  always  talking  to  me  about  '  assuming 
the  responsibility,'  and  '  conclusions  in  the  premises,'  and  all 
such  nonsense.  Leave  the  boys  to  my  father,  Grace,  and  he 
will  '  assume  the  responsibility'  of  '  concluding  the  premises,'  and 
the  whole  of  the  foolish  scheme  along  with  it !" 

This  would  have  provoked  me,  had  not  Grace  manifested  so 
much  sisterly  interest  in  my  welfare  that  I  was  soon  persuaded 
to  tell  her — that  minx  Lucy  overhearing  every  syllable,  though  I 
had  half  a  mind  to  tell  her  to  go  away — all  about  our  project. 

"  You  see,"  I  continued,  "  if  Mr.  Hardinge  knows  any  thing 
about  our  plan,  people  will  say  he  ought  to  have  stopped  us. 
'  He  a  clergyman,  and  not  able  to  keep  two  lads  of  sixteen  or 
seventeen  from  running  away  and  going  to  sea  !'  they  will  say, 
as  if  it  were  so  easy  to  prevent  two  spirited  youths  from  seeing 
the  world.  Whereas,  if  he  knew  nothing  about  it,  nobody  can 
blame  him.  That  is  what  I  call  '  relieving  him  from  the  respon 
sibility.'  Now,  we  intend  to  be  off  next  week,  or  as  soon  a>  1  ho 
jackets  and  trowsers  that  are  making  for  us,  under  the  pretence 
of  being  boat-dresses,  are  finished.  We  mean  to  go  down  the 
river  in  the  sail-boat,  taking  Neb  with  us  to  bring  the  boat  back. 
Now  you  know  the  whole  story,  there  will  be  no  occasion  to 
leave  a  letter  for  Mr,  Hardinge;  for,  three  hours  after  we  have 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  39 

sailed,  you  can  tell  him  every  thing.  We  shall  be. gone  a  year; 
at  the  end  of  that  time  you  may  look  for  us  both ;  and  glad 
enough  shall  we  all  be  to  see  each  other.  Rupert  and  I  will  be 
young  men  then,  though  you  call  us  boys  now." 

This  last  picture  a  good  deal  consoled  the  girls.  Rupert, 
too,  who  had  unaccountably  kept  back,  throwing  the  laboring- 
oar  altogether  on  me,  came  to  the  rescue,  and,  with  his  subtle 
manner  and  oily  tongue,  began  to  make  the  wrong  appear  the 
right.  I  do  not  think  he  blinded  his  own  sister  in  the  least, 

O 

but  I  fear  he  had  too  much  influence  over  mine.  Lucy,  though 
all  heart,  was  as  much  matter-of-fact  as  her  brother  was  a  soph 
ist,  lie  was  ingenious  in  glozing  over  truths ;  she,  nearly  un 
erring  in  detecting  them.  I  never  knew  a  greater  contrast 
between  two  human  beings,  than  there  was  between  these  two 
children  of  the  same  parents,  in  this  particular.  I  have  heard 
that  the  son  took  after  the  mother,  in  this  respect,  and  that  the 
daughter  took  after  the  father ;  though  Mrs.  Hardinge  died  toe 
early  to  have  had  any  moral  influence  on  the  character  of  hoi 
children. 

We  came  again  and  again  to  the  discussion  of  our  subject 
during  the  next  two  or  three  days.  The  girls  endeavored  ear 
nestly  to  persuade  us  to  ask  Mr.  Hardinge's  permission  for  the 
step  we  were  about  to  undertake ;  but  all  in  vain.  We  lads 
were  so  thoroughly  determined  to  "  relieve  the  divine  from  all 
the  responsibility  in  the  premises,"  that  they  might  as  well  have 
talked  to  stones.  We  knew  these  just-minded,  sincere,  upright 
girls  would  not  betray  us,  and  continued  obdurate  to  the  last. 
As  we  expected,  as  soon  as  convinced  their  importunities  were 
useless,  they  seriously  set  about  doing  all  they  could  to  render 
us  comfortable.  They  made  us  duck  bags  to  hold  our  clothes, 
two  each,  and  mended  our  linen,  stockings,  etc.,  and  even  helped 
to  procure  us  some  clothes  more  suited  to  the  contemplated  ex 
pedition  than  most  of  those  we  already  possessed.  Our  "  long 
togs,"  indeed,  we  determined  to  leave  behind  us,  retaining  just 
one  suit  each,  and  that  of  the  plainest  quality.  In  the  course 
of  a  week  every  thing  was  ready,  our  bags  well  lined,  being  con- 


40  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

cealed  in  the.  storehouse  at  the  landing.  Of  this  building  I 
could  at  any  moment  procure  the  key,  my  authority  as  heir- 
apparent  being  very  considerable,  already,  on  the  farm. 

As  for  Neb,  he  was  directed  to  have  the  boat  all  ready  for 
the  succeeding  Tuesday  evening,  it  being  the  plan  to  sail  the 
day  after  the  Wallingford  of  Clawbonny  (this  was  the  name  of 
the  sloop)  had  gone  on  one  of  her  regular  trips,  in  order  to  es 
cape  a  pursuit.  I  had  made  all  the  calculations  about  the  tide, 
and  knew  that  the  Wallingford  would  go  out  about  nine  in  the 
morning,  leaving  us  to  follow  before  midnight.  It  was  neces 
sary  to  depart  at  night  and  when  the  wharf  was  clear,  in  order 
to  avoid  observation. 

Tuesday  was  an  uneasy,  nervous,  and  sad  day  for  us  all,  Mr. 
Hardinge  excepted.  As  the  last  had  not  the  smallest  distrust, 
he  continued  calm,  quiet,  and  cheerful  as  was  his  wont.  Rupert 
had  a  conscience-stricken  and  furtive  air  about  him,  while  the 
eyes  of  the  two  dear  girls  were  scarcely  a  moment  without  tears. 
Grace  seemed  now  tlie  most  composed  of  the  two,  and  I  have 
since  suspected  that  she  had  had  a  private  conversation  with 
my  ingenious  friend,  whose  convincing  powers  were  of  a  very 
extraordinary  quality,  when  he  set  about  their  use  in  downright 
earnest.  As  for  Lucy,  she  seemed  to  me  to  have  been  weeping 
the  entire  day. 

At  nine  o'clock  it  was  customary  for  the  whole  family  to 
separate,  after  prayers.  Most  of  us  went  to  bed  at  that  early 
hour,  though  Mr.  Hardinge  himself  seldom  sought  his  pillow 
until  midnight.  This  habit  compelled  us  to  use  a  good  deal  of 
caution  in  getting  out  of  the  house,  in  which  Rupert  and  myself 
succeeded,  however,  without  discovery,  just  as  the  clock  struck 
eleven.  We  had  taken  leave  of  the  girls  in  a  hasty  manner,  in 
a  passage,  shaking  hands,  and  each  of  us  kissing  his  own  sister, 
as  he  affected  to  retire  for  the  night.  To  own  the  truth,  we 
were  much  gratified  in  finding  how  reasonably  Grace  and  Lucy 
behaved  on  the  occasion,  and  not  a  little  surprised,  for  we  had 
expected  a  scene,  particularly  with  the  former. 

We  walked  away  from   the   house  with  heavy  hearts,   few 


AFLOAT      AND      ASMOKE.  41 

leaving  the  paternal  roof  for  the  first  time,  to  enter  upon  the 
chances  of  the  world,  without  a  deep  sense  of  the  dependence 
in  which  they  had  hitherto  lived.  We  walked  fast  and  silently, 
and  reached  the  wharf  in  less  than  half  an  hour,  a  distance  of 
near  two  miles.  I  was  just  on  the  point  of  speaking  to  Xeb, 
whose  figure  I  could  see  in  the  boat,  when  I  caught  a  glimpse 
of  two  female  forms  within  six  feet  of  me.  There  were  Grace 
and  Lucy,  in  tears,  both  waiting  our  arrival,  with  a  view  to  see 
us  depart !  I  confess  I  was  shocked  and  concerned  at  seeing 
these  two  delicate  girls  so  far  from  their  home,  at  such  an  hour; 
and  my  first  impulse  was  to  see  them  both  safely  back  before  I 
would  enter  the  boat;  but  to  this  neither  would  consent.  All 
my  entreaties  were  thrown  away,  and  I  was  obliged  to  submit. 

I  know  not  exactly  how  it  happened,  bat  of  the  fact  I  am 
certain ;  odd  as  it  may  seem,  at  a  moment  like  that,  when  about 
to  separate,  instead  of  each  youth's  getting  his  own  sister  aside 
to  make  his  last  speeches,  and  say  his  last  say  to,  each  of  us 
got  his  friend's  sister  aside.  I  do  not  mean  that  we  were  mak 
ing  love,  or  any  thing  of  the  sort ;  we  were  a  little  too  young, 
perhaps,  for  that ;  but  we  obeyed  an  impulse  which,  as  Rupert 
would  have  said,  "  produced  that  result." 

What  passed  between  Grace  and  her  companion,  I  do  not 
know.  As  for  Lucy  and  myself,  it  was  all  plain  sailing  and  fail- 
dealing.  The  excellent  creature  forced  on  me  six  gold  pieces, 
which  I  knew  had  come  to  her  as  an  heirloom  from  her  mother, 
and  which  I  had  often  heard  her  declare  she  never  meant  to 
use,  unless  in  the  last  extremity.  She  knew  I  had  but  five  dol 
lars  on  earth,  and  that  Rupert  had  not  one  ;  and  she  offered  me 
this  gold.  I  told  her  Rupert  had  better  take  it;  no,  I  had 
better  take  it.  I  should  use  it  more  prudently  than  Rupert, 
and  would  use  it  for  the  good  of  both.  "  Besides,  you  are 
rich,"  she  said,  smiling  through  her  tears,  "  and  can  repay  me 
— I  lend  them  to  you  ;  to  Rupert  I  should  have  to  give  them." 
I  could  not  refuse  the  generous  girl,  and  took  the  money,  all 
half-joes,  with  a  determination  to  repay  them  with  interest. 
Then  I  folded  her  to  my  heart,  and  kissed  her  six  or  eight  times 


42  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

with  fervor,  the  first  time  I  had  done  such  a  thing  in  two  years, 
and  tore  myself  away.  I  do  not  think  Rupert  embraced  Grace, 
but  I  confess  I  do  not  know,  although  we  were  standing  within 
three  or  four  yards  of  each  other,  the  whole  time. 

"  Write,  Miles — write,  Rupeit,"  said  the  sobbing  girls,  lean 
ing  forward  from  the  wharf,  as  we  shoved  off.  It  was  not  so 
dark  but  we  could  see  their  dear  forms  for  several  minutes,  or 
until  a  bend  in  the  creek  put  a  dark  mass  of  earth  between  us 
and  them. 

Such  was  the  manner  of  my  departure  from  Clawbonny,  in 
the  month  of  September,  1797.  I  wanted  a  few  days  of  being 
seventeen ;  Rupert  was  six  months  older,  and  Neb  was  his 
senior,  again,  by  near  a  twelvemonth.  Every  thing  was  in  the 
boat  but  our  hearts.  Mine,  I  can  truly  say,  remained  with  the 
two  beloved  creatures  we  left  on  the  wharf;  while  Rupert's  was 
betwixt  and  between,  I  fancy — seldom  absolutely  deserting  the 
dear  tenement  in  which  it  was  encased  by  nature. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  43 


CHAPTER  III. 

"  There's  a  youth  in  this  city,  it  were  a  great  pltj 
That  he  from  our  lasses  should  wander  awa' ; 
For  he's  bonny  and  braw,  weel-favored  witha', 
And  his  hair  has  a  natural  buckle  and  a'. 
His  coat  is  the  hue  of  his  bonnet  so  blue ; 
His  pocket  is  white  as  the  new-driven  snaw ; 
His  hose  they  are  blae,  and  his  shoon  like  the  slae, 
And  his  clean  siller  buckles  they  dazzle  us  a'." 

BURNS. 

WE  had  selected  our  time  well,  as  respects  the  hour  of  de 
parture.  It  was  young  ebb,  and  the  boat  floated  swiftly  down 
the  creek,  though  the  high  banks  of  the  latter  would  have  pre 
vented  our  feeling  any  wind,  even  if  there  were  a  breeze  on  the 
river.  Our  boat  was  of  some  size,  sloop-rigged  and  half- 
decked  ;  but  Neb's  vigorous  arms  made  her  move  through  the 
water  with  some  rapidity,  and,  to  own  the  truth,  the  lad  sprang 
to  his  work  like  a  true  runaway  negro.  I  was  a  skilful  oarsman 
myself,  having  received  many  lessons  from  my  father  in  early 
boyhood,  and  being  in  almost  daily  practice  for  seven  months 
in  the  year.  The  excitement  of  the  adventure,  its  romance,  or 
what  for  a  short  time  seemed  to  me  to  be  romance,  and  the 
secret  apprehension  of  being  detected,  which  I  believe  accom 
panies  every  clandestine  undertaking,  soon  set  me  in  motion 
also.  I  took  one  of  the  oars,  and,  in  less  than  twenty  minutes, 
the  Grace  and  Lucy,  for  so  the  boat  was  called,  emerged  from 
between  two  high,  steep  banks,  and  entered  on  the  broader 
bosom  of  the  Hudson. 

Neb  gave  a  half-suppressed,  negro-like  cry  of  exultation,  as  we 
shot  out  from  our  cover,  and  ascertained  that  there  was  a  pleasant 
and  fair  breeze  blowing.  In  three  minutes  we  had  the  jib  and 


i-i  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

mainsail  on  the  boat,  the  helm  was  up,  the  sheet  was  eased  off, 
and  we  were  gliding  down-stream  at  the  rate  of  something  like 
five  miles  an  hour.  I  took  the  helm,  almost  as  a  matter  of 
course ;  Rupert  being  much  too  indolent  to  do  any  thing  un 
necessarily,  while  Xeb  was  far  too  humble  to  aspire  to  such  an 
office  while  Master  Miles  was  there,  willing  and  ready.  In  that 
day,  indeed,  it  was  so  much  a  matter  of  course  for  the  skipper 
of  a  Hudson  river  craft  to  steer,  that  most  of  the  people  who 
lived  on  the  banks  of  the  stream  imagined  that  Sir  John  Jervis, 
Lord  Anson,  and  the  other  great  English  admirals  of  whom  they 
had  read  and  heard,  usually  amused  themselves  with  that  em 
ployment  out  on  the  ocean.  I  remember  the  hearty  laugh  in 
which  my  unfortunate  father  indulged,  when  Mr.  Hardinge  once 
asked  him  how  he  could  manage  to  get  any  sleep  on  account  of 
this  very  duty.  But  we  were  very  green,  up  at  Clawbonny,  in 
most  things  that  related  to  the  world. 

The  hour  that  succeeded  was  one  of  the  most  painful  I  ever 
passed  in  my  life.  I  recalled  my  father,  his  manly  frankness, 
his  liberal  bequests  in  my  favor,  and  his  precepts  of  respect  and 
obedience ;  all  of  which,  it  now  seemed  to  me,  I  had  openly 
dishonored.  Then  came  the  image  of  my  mother,  with  her  love 
and  sufferings,  her  prayers,  and  her  mild,  but  earnest  exhorta 
tions  to  be  good.  I  thought  I  could  see  both  these  parents  re 
garding  me  with  sorrowful,  though  not  with  reproachful  counte 
nances.  They  appeared  to  be  soliciting  my  return  with  a  species 
of  silent,  but  not  the  less  eloquent  warnings  of  the  consequences. 
Grace  and  Lucy,  and  their  sobs,  and  admonitions,  and  entreaties 
to  abandon  my  scheme,  and  to  write,  and  not  to  remain  away  long, 
and  all  that  tender  interest  had  induced  two  warm-hearted  girls 
to  utter  at  our  parting,  came  fresh  and  vividly  to  my  mind. 
The  recollection  proved  nearly  too  much  for  me.  Nor  did  I 
forget  Mr.  Hardinge,  and  the  distress  he  would  certainly  feel, 
•when  he  discovered  that  he  had  not  only  lost  his  ward,  but  his 
only  son'.  Then  Clawbonny  itself,  the  house,  the  orchards,  the 
meadows,  the  garden,  the  mill,  and  all  that  belonged  to  the  farm 
began  to  have  a  double  value  in  my  eyes,  and  to  serve  as  so 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  45 

•nany  cords  attached  to  my  heart-strings,  and  to  remind  me  that 
the  rover 

"  Drags  at  each  remove  a  lengthening  chain." 

I  marvelled  at  Rupert's  tranquillity.  I  did  not  then  understand 
his  character  as  thoroughly  as  I  subsequently  got  to  know  it. 
All  that  he  most  prized  was  with  him  in  the  boat,  in  fact,  and 
this  lessened  his  grief  at  parting  from  less  beloved  objects. 
Where  Rupert  was,  there  was  his  paradise.  As  for  Neb,  I  do 
believe  his  head  was  over  his  shoulder,  for  he  affected  to  sit 
with  his  face  down-stream,  so  long  as  the  hills  that  lay  in  the 
rear  of  Clawbonny  could  be  at  all  distinguished.  This  must 
have  proceeded  from  tradition,  or  instinct,  or  some  latent  negr6 
quality;  for  I  do  not  think  the  fellow  fancied  he  was  running 
away.  He  knew  that  his  two  young  masters  were ;  but  he  was 
fully  aware  he  was  my  property,  and,  no  doubt,  thought,  as  long 
as  he  staid  in  my  company,  he  was  in  the  line  of  his  legitimate 
duty.  Then  it  was  my  plan  that  he  should  return  with  the 
boat,  and,  perhaps,  these  backward  glances  were  no  more  than 
the  shadows  of  coming  events,  cast,  in  his  case,  behind. 

Rupert  was  indisposed  to  converse,  for,  to  tell  the  truth,  he 
had  eaten  a  hearty  supper,  and  began  to  feel  drowsy;  and  I  was 
too  much  wrapped  up  in  my  own  busy  thoughts  to  solicit  any 
communications.  I  found  a  sort  of  saddened  pleasure  in  setting 
a  watch  for  the  night,  therefore,  which  had  an  air  of  seaman 
like  duty  about  it,  that  in  a  slight  degree  revived  my  old  taste 
for  the  profession.  It  was  midnight,  and  I  took  the  first  watch 
myself,  bidding  my  two  companions  to  crawl  under  the  half- 
deck  and  go  to  sleep.  This  they  both  did  without  any  parley, 
Rupert  occupying  an  inner  place,  while  Neb  lay  with  his  legs 
exposed  to  the  night  air. 

The  breeze  freshened,  and  for  some  time  I  thought  it  might 
be  necessary  to  reef,  though  we  were  running  dead  before  the 
wind.  I  succeeded  in  holding  on,  however,  and  I  found  the 
Grace  and  Lucy  was  doing  wonders  in  my  watch.  When  I 
gave  Rupert  his  call  at  four  o'clock,  the  boat  was  just  approach 
ing  two  frowning  mountains,  where  the  river  was  narrowed  to  a 


46  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

third  or  fourth  of  its  former  width  ;  and,  by  the  appearance  of 
the  shores,  and  the  dim  glimpses  I  had  caught  of  a  village  of  no 
great  size  on  the  right  bank,  I  knew  we  were  in  what  is  called 
Newburg  Bay.  This  was  the  extent  of  our  former  journeyings 
south,  all  three  of  us  having  once  before,  and  only  once,  been  as 
low  as  Fishkill  Landing,  which  lies  opposite  to  the  place  that 
gives  this  part  of  the  river  its  name. 

Rupert  now  took  the  helm,  and  I  went  to  sleep.  The  wind 
still  continued  fresh  and  fair,  and  I  felt  no  uneasiness  on  account 
of  the  boat.  It  is  true,  there  were  two  parts  of  the  navigation 
before  us  of  which  I  had  thought  a  little  seriously,  but  not 
sufficiently  so  to  keep  me  awake.  These  were  the  Race,  a  pas 
sage  in  the  Highlands,  and  Tappan  Sea ;  both  points  on  the 
Hudson  of  which  the  navigators  of  that  classical  stream  were 
fond  of  relating  the  marvels.  The  first  I  knew  was  formidable 
only  later  in  the  autumn,  and,  as  for  the  last,  I  hoped  to  enjoy 
some  of  its  wonders  in  the  morning.  In  this  very  justifiable 
expectation,  I  fell  asleep. 

Neb  did  not  call  me  until  ten  o'clock.  I  afterward  discovered 
that  Rupert  kept  the  helm  for  only  an  hour,  and  then,  calcula 
ting  that  from  five  until  nine  were  four  hours,  he  thought  it  a 
pity  the  negro  should  not  have  his  share  of  the  glory  of  that 
night.  When  I  was  awakened,  it  was  merely  to  let  me  know 
that  it  was  time  to  eat  something — Neb  would  have  starved 
before  he  would  precede  his  young  master  in  that  necessary 
occupation — and  I  found  Rupert  in  a  deep  and  pleasant  sleep  at 
my  side. 

We  were  in  the  centre  of  Tappan,  and  the  Highlands  had 
been  passed  in  safety.  Neb  expatiated  a  little  on  the  difficulties 
of  the  navigation,  the  river  having  many  windings,  besides  being 
bounded  by  high  mountains ;  but,  after  all,  he  admitted  that 
there  was  water  enough,  wind  enough,  and  a  road  that  was  plain 
enough.  From  this  moment,  excitement  kept  us  wide  awake. 
Every  thing  was  new,  and  every  thing  seemed  delightful.  The 
day  was  pleasant,  the  wind  continued  fair,  and  nothing  occurred 
to  mar  our  joy.  1  had  a  little  map,  one  neither  particularly 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  4*? 

accurate,  nor  very  well  engraved.;  and  I  remember  the  impor 
tance  with  which,  after  having  ascertained  the  fact  myself,  I 
pointed  out  to  my  two  companions  the  rocky  precipices  on  the 
western  bank,  as  New  Jersey !  Even  Rupert  was  struck  with 
this  important  circumstance.  As  for  Neb,  he  was  actually  in 
ecstasies,  rolling  his  large  black  eyes,  and  showing  his  white 
teeth,  until  he  suddenly  closed  his  truly  coral  and  plump  lips,  to 
demand  what  New  Jersey  meant.  Of  course  I  gratified  this 
laudable  desire  to  obtain  knowledge,  and  Neb  seemed  still  more 
pleased  than  ever,  now  he  had  ascertained  that  New  Jersey  was 
a  state.  Travelling  was  not  as  much  of  an  every-day  occupa 
tion,  at  that  time,  as  it  is  now ;  and  it  was,  in  truth,  something 
for  three  American  lads,  all  under  nineteen,  to  be  able  to  say 
that  they  had  seen  a  state,  other  than  their  own. 

Notwithstanding  the  rapid  progress  we  had  made  for  the  first 
fe\v  hours  of  our  undertaking,  the  voyage  was  far  from  being 
ended.  About  noon  the  wind  came  out  light  from  the  south 
ward,' and,  having  a  flood-tide,  we  were  compelled  to  anchor. 
This  made  us  all  uneasy,  for,  Avhile  we  were  stationary,  we  did 
not  seem  to  be  running  away.  The  ebb  came  again,  at  length, 
however,  and  then  we  made  sail,  and  began  to  turn  down  with 
the  tide.  It  was  near  sunset  before  we  got  a  view  of  the  two 
or  three  spires  that  then  piloted  strangers  to  the  town.  New 
York  was  not  the  "  commercial  emporium"  in  1796;  so  high- 
sounding  a  title,  indeed,  scarce  belonging  to  the  simple  English 
of  the  period,  it  requiring  a  very  great  collection  of  half-educated 
men  to  venture  on  so  ambitious  an  appellation — the  only  empo 
rium  that  existed  in  America,  during  the  last  century,  being  a 
slop-shop  in  Water  street,  and  on  the  island  of  Manhattan. 
Commercial  emporium  was  a  flight  of  fancy,  indeed,  that  must 
have  required  a  whole  board  of  aldermen,  and  an  extra  supply 
of  turtle,  to  sanction.  What  is  meant  by  a  literary  emporium,  I 
leave  those  editors  who  are  "  native  and  to  the  manor  born,"  to 
explain. 

We  first  saw  the  State  Prison,  which  was  then  new,  and  a 
most  imposing  edifice,  according  to  our  notions,  aa  we  drew 


48  AFLOAT      AVD      ASHORE. 

near  the  town.  Like  the  gallows  first  seen  by  a  traveller  in 
entering  a  strange  country,  it  was  a  pledge,  of  civilization.  Neb 
shook  his  head,  as  he  gazed  at  it,  with  a  moralizing  air,  and  said 
it  had  a  "  wicked  look."  For  myself,  I  own  I  did  not  regard  it 
altogether  without  dread.  On  Rupert  it  made  less  impression 
than  on  any  of  the  three.  Be  was  always  somewhat  obtuse  on 
the  subject  of  morals.* 

New  York,  in  that  day,  and  on  the  Hudson  side  of  the  town, 
commenced  a  short  distance  above  Duane  street.  Between 
Greenwich,  as  the  little  hamlet  around  the  State  Prison  was 
called,  and  the  town  proper,  was  an  interval  of  a  mile  and  a 
half  of  open  fields,  dotted  here  and  there  with  country-houses. 
Much  of  this  space  was  in  broken  hills,  and  a  few  piles  of 
lumber  lay  along  the  shores.  St.  John's  church  had  no  exist 
ence,  and  most  of  the  ground  in  its  vicinity  was  in  low  swamp. 
As  we  glided  along  the  wharves,  we  caught  sight  of  the  first 
market  I  had  then  ever  seen — such  proofs  of  an  advanced  civil 
ization  not  having  yet  made  their  way  into  the  villages  of  the 
interior.  It  was  called  "  The  Bear,"  from  the  circumstance 
that  the  first  meat  ever  exposed  for  sale  in  it  was  of  that  animal; 
but  the  appellation  has  disappeared  before  the  intellectual  re 
finement  of  these  later  times— -the  name  of  the  soldier  and 
statesman,  Washington,  having  fairly  supplanted  that  of  the 
bear !  Whether  this  great  moral  improvement  was  brought 
about  by  the  Philosophical  Society,  or  the  Historical  Society, 
or  "  The  Merchants,"  or  the  Aldermen  of  New  York,  I  have 
never  ascertained.  If  the  latter,  one  cannot  but  admire  their 
disinterested  modesty  in  conferring  this  notable  honor  on  the 
Father  of  his  Country,  inasmuch  as  all  can  see  that  there  never 
has  been  a  period  when  their  own  board  has  not  possessed 
distinguished  members,  every  way  qualified  to  act  as  godfathers 
to  the  most  illustrious  markets  of  the  republic.  But  Manhat 
tan,  in  the  way  of  taste,  has  never  had  justice  done  it.  So 

*  It  may  be  well  to  tell  the  European  who  shall  happen  to  read  this  book,  that  iu 
America  a  "  State's  Prison"  is  not  for  prisoners  of  state,  but  for  common  rogues ;  the 
term  coming  from  the  name  borne  by  the  local  governments. 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  49 

profound  is  its  admiration  for  all  the  higher  qualities,  that 
Franklin  and  Fulton  have  each  a  market  to  himself,  in  addition 
to  this  bestowed  on  Washington.  Doubtless  there  would  have 
been  Newton  Market,  and  Socrates  Market,  and  Solomon  Mar 
ket,  but  for  the  patriotism  of  the  town,  which  has  forbidden 
it  from  going  out  of  the  hemisphere  in  quest  of  names  to  illus 
trate.  Bacon  Market  would  doubtless  have  been  too  equivocal 
to  be  tolerated,  under  any  circumstances.  Then  Bacon  was  a 
rogue,  though  a  philosopher,  and  markets  are  always  appropria 
ted  to  honest  people.  At  all  events,  I  am  rejoiced  the  reproach 
of  having  a  market  called  "  The  Bear"  has  been  taken  away,  as 
it  was  tacitly  admitting  our  living  near,  if  not  absolutely  in, 
the  woods. 

We  passed  the  Albany  basin,  a  large  receptacle  for  North 
river  craft,  that  is  now  in  the  bosom  of  the  town  and  built  on, 
and  recognized  in  it  the  mast-head  of  the  Wallingford.  Neb 
was  shown  the  place,  for  he  was  to  bring  the  boat  round  to  it, 
and  join  the  sloop,  in  readiness  to  return  in  her.  We  round 
ed  the  Battery,  then  a  circular  strip  of  grass,  with  an  earthen 
and  wooden  breastwork  running  along  the  margin  of  the  water, 
leaving  a  narrow  promenade  on  the  exterior.  This  brought  us 
to  Whitehall,  since  so  celebrated  for  its  oarsmen,  where  we 
put  in  for  a  haven.  I  had  obtained  the  address  of  a  better  sort 
of  sailor-tavern  in  that  vicinity,  and,  securing  the  boat,  we 
shouldered  the  bags,  got  a  boy  to  guide  us,  and  were  soon 
housed.  As  it  was  near  night,  Rupert  and  I  ordered  supper, 
and  Neb  was  directed  to  pull  the  boat  round  to  the  sloop,  and 
to  return  to  us  in  the  morning ;  taking  care,  however,  not  to  let 
our  lodgings  be  known. 

The  next  day,  I  own  I  thought  but  little  of  the  girls,  Claw- 
bonny,  or  Mr.  Hardinge.  Neb  was  at  my  bedside  before  I  was 
up,  and  reported  the  Grace  and  Lucy  safe  alongside  of  the  Wal 
lingford,  and  expressed  himself  ready  to  wait  on  me  in  my 
progress  in  quest  of  a  ship.  As  this  was  the  moment  of  ac 
tion,  little  was  said,  but  we  all  breakfasted,  and  sallied  forth, 
in  good  earnest,  on  the  important  business  before  us.  Neb 
3 


50  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

was  permitted  to  follow,  but  at  such  a  distance  as  to  pre 
vent  bis  being  suspected  of  belonging  to  our  party — a  gentle 
man  with  a  serving-man  at  his  heels,  not  being  the  candidate 
most  likely  to  succeed  in  his  application  for  a  berth  in  the 
forecastle. 

So  eager  was  I  to  belong  to  some  sea-going  craft,  that  I 
would  not  stop  even  to  look  at  the  wonders  of  the  town  before 
we  took  the  direction  of  the  wharves.  Rupert  was  for  pursuing 
a  different  policy,  having  an  inherent  love  of  the  genteelcr 
gayeties  of  a  town,  but  I  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  his  hints,  and 
this  time  I  was  master.  He  followed  me  with  some  reluctance, 
but  follow  he  did,  after  some  remonstrances  that  bordered  on 
warmth.  Any  inexperienced  eye  that  had  seen  us  passing, 
would  have  mistaken  us  for  two  well-looking,  smart  young 
sailor-boys,  who  had  just  returned  from  a  profitable  voyage,  and 
who,  well-clad,  tidy,  and  semi-genteel,  were  strolling  along  the 
wharves  as  admirateurs,  not  to  say  critics,  of  the  craft.  Admira- 
teurs  we  were,  certainly,  or  I  was,  at  least ;  though  knowledge 
was  a  point  on  which  we  were  sadly  deficient. 

The  trade  of  America  was  surprisingly  active  in  1797.  It 
had  been  preyed  upon  by  the  two  great  belligerents  of  the 
period,  England  and  France,  it  is  true;  and  certain  proceedings 
of  the  latter  nation  were  about  to  bring  the  relations  of  the  two 
countries  into  a  very  embarrassed  state ;  but  still  the  shipping 
interest  was  wonderfully  active,  and,  as  a  whole,  singularly  suc 
cessful.  Almost  every  tide  brought  in  or  took  out  ships  for 
foreign  ports,  and  scarce  a  week  passed  that  vessels  did  not 
arrive  from,  or  sail  for,  all  the  different  quarters  of  the  world. 
An  Indiaman,  however,  was  our  object;  the  voyage  being  longer, 
the  ships  better,  and  the  achievement  greater,  than  merely  to 
cross  the  Atlantic  and  return.  We  accordingly  proceeded  to 
ward  the  Fly  Market,  in  the  vicinity  of  which,  we  had  been 
given  to  understand,  some  three  or  four  vessels  of  that  descrip 
tion  were  fitting  out.  This  market  has  since  used  its  wings  to 
disappear,  altogether. 

I  kept  my  oyes  on  every  ship  we  passed.     Until  the  previous 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 


day,  I  had  never  seen  a  square-rigged  vessel ;  and  no  enthusiast 
in  the  arts  ever  gloated  on  a  fine  picture  or  statue  with  greater 
avidity  than  my  soul  drank  in  the  wonder  and  beauty  of  every 
ship  I  passed.  I  had  a  large,  full-rigged  model  at  Clawbonny ; 
and  this  I  had  studied  under  my  father  so  thoroughly,  as  to 
know  the  name  of  every  rope  in  it,  and  to  have  some  pretty 
distinct  notions  of  their  uses.  This  early  schooling  Avas  now  of 
great  use  to  me,  though  I  found  it  a  little  difficult,  at  first,  to 
trace  my  old  acquaintances  on  the  large  scale  in  which  they  now 
presented  themselves,  and  amid  the  intricate  mazes  that  were 
drawn  against  the  skies.  The  braces,  shrouds,  stays  and  hal 
yards,  were  all  plain  enough,  and  I  could  point  to  either,  at  a 
moment's  notice ;  but  when  it  came  to  the  rest  of  the  running- 
rigging,  I  found  it  necessary  to  look  a  little,  before  I  could 
speak  with  certainty. 

Eager  as  I  was  to  ship,  the  indulgence  of  gazing  at  all  I  saw 
was  so  attractive,  that  it  was  noon  before  we  reached  an  India- 
man.  This  was  a  pretty  little  ship  of  about  four  hundred  tons, 
that  was  called  the  John.  Little  I  say,  for  such  she  would  now 
be  thought,  though  a  vessel  of  her  size  was  then  termed  large. 
The  Manhattan,  much  the  largest  ship  out  of  the  port,  measured 
but  about  seven  hundred  tons ;  while  few  even  of  the  Indiamen 
went  much  beyond  five  hundred.  I  can  see  the  John  at  this 
moment,  near  fifty  years  after  I  first  laid  eyes  on  her,  as  she 
then  appeared.  She  was  not  bright-sided,  but  had  a  narrow, 
cream-colored  streak,  broken  into  ports.  She  was  a  straight, 
black-looking  craft,  with  a  handsome  billet,  low,  thin  bulwarks, 
and  waistcloths  secured  to  ridge-ropes.  Her  larger  spars  were 
painted  the  same  color  as  her  streak,  and  her  stern  had  a  few 
ornaments  of  a  similar  tint. 

We  went  on  board  the  John,  where  we  found  the  officers 
just  topping  off  with  the  riggers  and  stevedores,  having  stowed 
•ill  the  provisions  and  water,  and  the  mere  trifle  of  cargo  she 
carried.  The  mate,  whose  name  was  Marble,  and  a  well-veined 
bit  of  marble  he  was,  his  face  resembling  a  map  that  had  r  jre 
rivers  drawn  on  it  than  the  laud  could  feed,  winked  at  th  cap- 


52  AFLOAT      AND      ASHOUE. 

tain  and  nodded  his  head  toward  us  as  soon  as  we  met  his  eye. 
The  latter  smiled,  but  did  not  speak. 

"  Walk  this  way,  gentlemen — walk  this  way,  if  you  please," 
said  Mr.  Marble,  encouragingly,  passing  a  ball  of  spun-yarn,  all 
the  while,  to  help  a  rigger  serve  a  rope.  "  When  did  you  leave 
the  country  ?" 

This  produced  a  general  laugh,  even  the  yellow  rascal  of  a 
mulatto,  who  was  passing  into  the  cabin  with  some  crockery, 
grinning  in  our  faces  at  this  salutation.  I  saw  it  was  now  or 
never,  and  determined  not  to  be  browbeaten,  while  I  was  too 
truthful  to  attempt  to  pass  for  that  I  was  not. 

"  We  left  home  last  night,  thinking  to  be  in  time  to  find 
berths  in  one  of  the  Indiamen  that  is  to  sail  this  week." 

"Not  this  week,  my  son — not  till  next,"  said  Mr.  Marble, 
jocularly.  "  Sunday  Is  the  day.  We  run  from  Sunday  to  Sun 
day — the  better  day,  the  better  deed,  you  know.  How  did  you 
leave  father  and  mother  ?" 

"  I  have  neither,"  I  answered,  almost  choked.  "  My  mother 
died  a  few  months  since,  and  my  father,  Captain  Wallingford, 
has  now  been  dead  some  years." 

The  master  of  the  John  was  a  man  of  about  fifty,  red-faced, 
hard-looking,  pock-marked,  square-rigged,  and  of  an  exterior 
that  promised  any  thing  but  sentiment.  Feeling,  however,  he 
did  manifest,  the  moment  I  mentioned  my  father's  name.  He 
ceased  his  employment,  came  close  to  me,  gazed  earnestly  in 
my  face,  and  even  looked  kind. 

"  Are  you  a  son  of  Captain  Miles  Wallingford  ?"  he  asked 
in  a  low  voice — "  of  Miles  Wallingford,  from  up  the  river  ?" 

"  I  am,  sir;  his  only  son.  He  left  but  two  of  us,  a  son  and  a 
daughter ;  and,  though  under  no  necessity  to  work  at  all,  I  wish 
to  make  this  Miles  Wallingford  as  good  a  seaman  as  the  last, 
and,  I  hope,  as  honest  a  man." 

This  was  said  manfully,  and  with  a  spirit  that  must  have 
pleased ;  for  I  was  shaken  cordially  by  the  hand,  welcomed  on 
board,  invited  into  the  cabin,  and  asked  to  take  a  seat  at  a  table 
on  which  the  dinner  had  just  been  placed.  Rupert,  of  course, 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  53 

shared  in  all  these  favors.  Then  followed  the  explanations. 
Captain  Bobbins  of  the  John,  had  first  gone  t>  sea  with  my 
father,  for  whom  I  believe  he  entertained  a  profound  respect, 
lie  had  even  served  with  him  once  as  mate,  and  talked  as  if  he 
felt  that  he  had  been  under  obligations  to  him.  He  did  not 
question  me  very  closely,  seeming  to  think  it  natural  enough 
that  Miles  Wallingford's  only  son  should  wish  to  be  a  seaman. 

As  we  sat  at  the  table,  even,  it  was  agreed  that  Rupert  and  I 
should  join  the  ship,  as  green  hands,  the  very  next  morning, 
signing  the  articles  as  soon  as  we  went  on  shore.  This  was 
done  accordingly,  and  I  had  the  felicity  of  writing  Miles  Wal- 
lingford  to  the  roll  d'equipage,  to  the  tune  of  eighteen  dollars 
per  month — seamen  then  actually  receiving  thirty  and  thirty- 
five  dollars  per  month — wages.  Rupert  was  take  n  also,  though 
Captain  Robbins  cut  him  down  to  thirteen  dollars,  saying,  in  a 
jesting  way,  that  a  parson's  son  could  hardly  be  worth  as  much 
as  the  son  of  one  of  the  best  old  shipmasters  who  ever  sailed 
out  of  America.  He  was  a  shrewd  observer  of  men  and  things, 
this  new  Mend  of  mine,  and  I  believe  understof  d  "  by  the  cut 
of  his  jib,"  that  Rupert  was  not  likely  to  make  a  weather-earing 
man.  The  money,  however,  was  not  of  much  account  in  our 
calculations ;  and  lucky  enough  did  I  think  myself  in  finding  so 
good  a  berth,  almost  as  soon  as  looked  for.  We  returned  to 
the  tavern  and  staid  that  night,  taking  a  formal  leave  of  Neb, 
who  was  to  carry  the  good  news  home,  as  soon  as  the  sloop 
should  sail. 

In  the  morning  a  cart  was  loaded  with  our  effects,  the  bill 
was  discharged,  and  we  left  the  tavern.  I  had  the  precaution 
not  to  go  directly  alongside  the  ship.  On  the  contrary,  we 
proceeded  to  an  opposite  part  of  the  town,  placing  the  bags  on 
a  wharf  resorted  to  by  craft  from  New  Jersey,  as  if  we  intended 
to  go  on  board  one  of  them.  The  cartman  took  his  quarter,  and 
drove  off,  troubling  himself  very  little  about  the  future  move 
ments  of  two  young  sailors.  Waiting  half  an  hour,  another  cart 
was  called,  when  we  went  to  the  John,  and  were  immediately 
installed  in  her  forecastle.  Captain  Robbins  had  provided  us 


54  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

both  with  chests,  paid  for  out  of  the  three  months'  advance,  and 
in  them  we  found  the  slops  necessary  for  so  long  a  voyage.  Ru 
pert  and  I  immediately  put  on  suits  of  these  new  clothes,  with 
regular  little  round  tarpaulins,  which  so  much  altered  us  in 
appearance,  even  from  those  produced  by  our  Ulster  county 
fittings,  that  we  scarce  knew  each  other. 

Rupert  now  went  on  deck  to  lounge  and  smoke  a  cigar,  while 
I  went  aloft,  visiting  every  yard,  and  touching  all  three  of  the 
trucks,  before  I  returned  from  this,  my  exploring  expedition. 
The  captain  and  mates  and  riggers  smiled  at  my  movements, 
and  I  overheard  the  former  telling  his  mate  that  I  was  "  old 
Miles  over  again."  In  a  word,  all  parties  seemed  pleased  with 
the  arrangement  that  had  been  made.  I  had  told  the  officers 
aft  of  my  knowledge  of  the  names  and  uses  of  most  of  the  ropes ; 
and  never  did  I  feel  so  proud  as  when  Mr.  Marble  called  out,  in 
a  loud  tone — 

"  D'ye  hear  there,  Miles — away  aloft  and  unreeve  them  fore- 
topgallant  halyards,  and  send  an  end  -down  to  haul  up  this  new 
rope,  to  reeve  a  fresh  set." 

Away  I  went,  my  head  buzzing  with  the  complicated  order, 
and  yet  I  had  a  very  tolerable  notion  of  what  was  to  be  done. 
The  unreeying  might  have  been  achieved  by  any  one,  and  I  got 
through  with  that  without  difficulty ;  and,  the  mate  himself 
helping  me  and  directing  me  from  the  deck,  the  new  rope  was 
rove  with  distinguished  success.  This  was  the  first  duty  I  ever 
did  in  a  ship,  and  I  was  prouder  of  it  than  of  any  that  was  sub 
sequently  performed  by  the  same  individual.  The  whole  time 
I  was  thus  occupied,  Rupert  stood  lounging  against  the  foot  of 
the  main-stay,  smoking  his  cigar  like  a  burgomaster.  His  turn 
came  next,  however,  the  captain  sending  for  him  to  the  cabin, 
where  he  set  him  to  work  to  copy  some  papers.  Rupert  wrote 
a  beautiful  hand,  and  he  wrote  rapidly.  That  evening  I  heard 
the  chief  mate  tell  the  dickey  that  the  parson's  son  was  likely  to 
turn  out  a  regular  "  barber's  clerk"  to  the  captain.  "  The  old 
»  man,"  he  added,  "makes  so  many  traverses  himself  on  a  bit  of 
paper,  that  he  hardly  knows  at  which  end  to  begin  to  read  it ; 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  55 

and  I  shouldn't  wonder  if  he  just  stationed  this  chap,  with  a 
quill  behind  his  ear,  for  the  v'y'ge." 

For  the  next  two  or  three  days  I  was  delightfully  busy,  pass 
ing  half  the  time  aloft.  All  the  sails  were  to  be  bent,  and  I  had 
my  full  share  in  the  performance  of  this  duty.  I  actually  furled 
the  mizzen-royal  with  my  own  hands — the  ship  carrying  stand 
ing  royals — and  it  was  said  to  be  very  respectably  done ;  a  little 
rag  baggish  in  the  bunt,  perhaps,  but  secured  in  a  way  that  took 
the  next  fellow  who  touched  the  gasket  five  minutes  to  cast  the 
sail  loose.  Then  it  rained,  and  sails  were  to  be  loosened  to  dry. 
I  let  every  thing  fall  forward  with  my  own  hands,  and,  when  we 
came  to  roll  up  the  canvas  again,  I  actually  managed  all  three 
of  the  royals  alone ;  one  at  a  time,  of  course.  My  father  had 
taught  me  to  make  a  flat-knot,  a  bowline,  a  clove-hitch,  two 
half-hitches,  and  such  sort  of  things ;  and  I  got  through  with 
both  a  long  and  a  short  splice  tolerably  well.  I  found  all  this, 
and  tjie  knowledge  I  had  gained  from  my  model-ship  at  home, 
of  great  use  to  me ;  so  much  so,  indeed,  as  to  induce  even  that 
indurated  bit  of  mortality,  Marble,  to  say  I  "  was  the  ripest 
piere  of  green  stuff  he  had  ever  fallen  in  with." 

All  this  time  Rupert  was  kept  at  quill-driving.  Once  he  got 
leave  to  quit  the  ship — it  was  the  day  before  we  sailed — and  T 
observed  he  went  ashore  in  his  long  togs,  of  which  each  of  us 
had  one  suit.  I  stole  away  the  same  afternoon  to  find  the  post 
office,  and  worked  up-stream  as  far  as  Broadway,  not  knowing 
exactly  which  way  to  shape  my  course.  In  that  day  everybody 
who  was  anybody,  and  unmarried,  promenaded  the  west  side  of 
this  street,  from  the  Battery  to  St.  Paul's  church,  between  the 
hours  of  twelve  and  half  past  two,  wind  and  weather  permitting. 
There  I  saw  Rupert  in  his  country  guise,  nothing  remarkable,  of 
a  certainty,  strutting  about  with  the  best  of  them,  and  looking 
handsome  in  spite  of  his  rusticity.  It  was  getting  late,  and  he 
left  the  street  just  as  I  saw  him.  I  followed,  waiting  until  we 
got  to  a  private  place  before  I  would  speak  to  him,  however,  as 
I  knew  he  would  be  mortified  to  be  taken  for  the  friend  of  a 
Jack-tar  in  such  a  scene. 


56  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

Rupert  entered  a  door,  and  then  reappeared  with  a  letter  in 
his  hand.  He,  too,  had  gone  to  the  post  office,  and  I  no  longer 
hesitated  about  joining  him. 

"  Is  it  from  Clawbonny  ?"  I  asked  eagerly.  "  If  so,  from  Lucy, 
doubtless  ?" 

"  From  Clawbonny — but  from  Grace,"  he  answered,  with  a 
slight  change  of  color.  "  I  desired  the  poor  girl  to  let  me  know 
how  things  passed  off  after  we  left  them :  and,  as  for  Lucy,  her 
pot-hooks  are  so  much  out  of  the  way,  I  never  want  to  see  them." 

I  felt  hurt,  offended,  that  my  sister  should  write  to  any 
youngster  but  myself.  It  is  true  the  letter  was  to  a  bosom 
friend — a  co-adventurer,  one  almost  a  child  of  the  same  family 
— and  I  had  come  to  the  office  expecting  to  get  a  letter  from 
Rupert's  sister,  who  had  promised,  while  weeping  on  the  wharf, 
to  do  exactly  the  same  thing  for  me ;  but  there  is  a  difference 
between  one's  sister  writing  to  another  young  man,  and  an 
other  young  man's  sister  writing  to  oneself.  I  cannot  even  now 
explain  it ;  but  that  there  is  a  difference  I  am  sure.  Without 
asking  to  see  a  line  that  Grace  had  written,  I  went  into  the 
office,  and  returned  in  a  minute  or  two,  with  an  air  of  injured 
dignity,  holding  Lucy's  epistle  in  my  hand. 

After  all,  there  was  nothing  in  either  letter  to  excite  much 
sensibility.  Each  was  written  with  the  simplicity,  truth,  and 
feeling  of  a  generous-minded,  warm-hearted,  female  friend,  of  an 
age  not  to  distrust  her  own  motives,  to  a  lad  who  had  no  right 
to  view  the  favor  other  than  it  was,  as  an  evidence  of  early  and 
intimate  friendship.  Both  epistles  are  now  before  me,  and  I 
copy  them  as  the  shortest  way  of  letting  the  reader  know  the 
effect  our  disappearance  had  produced  at  Clawbonny.  That  of 
Grace  was  couched  in  the  following  terms : 

DEAR  RUPERT  : 

Clawbonny  was  in  commotion  at  nine  o'clock  this  morn 
ing,  and  well  it  might  be  !  When  your  father's  anxiety  got  to 
be  painful,  I  told  him  the  whole,  and  gave  him  the  letters.  I 
am  sorry  to  say  he  wept.  I  wish  never  to  see  such  a  sight 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  57 

again.  The  tears  of  two  such  silly  girls  as  Lucy  and  I,  are  of 
little  account — but,  Rupert,  to  behold  an  aged  man  we  love  and 
respect  like  him,  a  minister  of  the  gospel  too,  in  tears !  It  was 
u  hard  sight  to  bear.  He  did  not  reproach  us  for  our  silence, 
saying  he  did  not  see,  after  our  promises,  how  we  could  well  do 
otherwise.  I  gave  your  reasons  about  "  responsibility  in  the 
premises ;"  but  I  don't  think  he  understood  them.  Is  it  too 
late  to  return  ?  The  boat  that  carried  you  down  can  bring  you 
back ;  and  oh !  how  much  rejoiced  shall  we  all  be  to  see  you  ! 
Wherever  you  go  and  whatever  you  do,  boys — for  I  write  as 
much  to  one  as  to  the  other,  and  only  address  to  Rupert  because 
he  so  earnestly  desired  it — but  wherever  you  go,  and  whatever 
you  do,  remember  the  instructions  you  have  both  received  in 
youth,  and  how  much  all  of  us  are  interested  in  your  conduct 
and  happiness.  Affectionately  yours, 

GRACE  WALLINGFORD. 
To  Mr.  Rupert  Hardinge. 

Lucy  had  been  less  guarded,  and  possibly  a  little  more  hon 
est.     She  wrote  as  follows  : 
DEAR  MILES  : 

I  believe  I  cried  for  one  whole  hour  after  you  and  Ru 
pert  left  us,  and,  now  it  is  all  over,  I  am  vexed  at  having  -cried 
so  much  about  two  such  foolish  fellows.  Grace  has  told  you 
all  about  my  dear,  dear  father,  who  cried  too.  I  declare,  I 
don't  know  when  I  was  so  frightened  !  I  thought  it  must  bring 
you  back,  as  soon  as  you  hear  of  it.  What  will  be  done  I  do  not 
know ;  but  something,  I  am  certain.  Whenever  father  is  in  ear 
nest,  he  says  but  little.  I  know  he  is  in  earnest  now.  I  believe 
Grace  and  I  do  nothing  but  think  of  you ;  that  is,  she  of  you, 
and  I  of  Rupert ;  and  a  little  the  other  way,  too — so  now  you 
have  the  whole  truth.  Do  not  fail,  on  any  account,  to  write  be 
fore  you  go  to  sea,  if  you  do  go  to  sea,  as  I  hope  and  trust  you 
will  not.  Good  bye. 

LUCY  HARDINGE. 

To  Mr.  Miles  Wallingford. 

P.  S.  Neb's  mother  protests,  if  the  boy  is  not  home  by  Satur- 
3* 


58  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

day  night,  she  will  go  after  him.  No  such  disgrace  as  a  run 
away  ever  befel  her  or  hers,  and  she  says  she  will  not  submit  to 
it.  But  I  suppose  we  shall  see  him  soon,  and  with  him  letters. 

Now  Neb  had  taken  his  leave,  but  no  letter  had  been  trusted 
to  his  care.  As  often  happens,  I  regretted  the  mistake  when  it 
was  too  late ;  and  all  that  day  I  thought  how  disappointed  Lucy 
would  be,  when  she  came  to  see  the  negro  empty-handed. 

Rupert  and  I  parted  in  the  street,  as  he  did  not  wish  to  walk 
with  a  sailor,  while  in  his  own  long  togs.  He  did  not  say  as 
much,  but  I  knew  him  well  enough  to  ascertain  it  without  his 
speaking.  I  was  walking  very  fast  in  the  direction  of  the  ship, 
and  had  actually  reached  the  wharves,  when,  in  turning  a  cor 
ner,  I  came  plump  upon  Mr.  Hardinge.  My  guardian  was  walk 
ing  slowly,  his  face  sorrowful  and  dejected,  and  his  eyes  fastened 
on  every  ship  he  passed,  as  if  looking  for  his  boys,  lie  saw 
me,  casting  a  vacant  glance  over  my  person  ;  but  I  was  so  much 
changed  by  dress,  and  particularly  by  the  little  tarpaulin,  that 
he  did  not  know  me.  Anxiety  immediately  drew  his  look  to 
ward  the  vessels,  and  I  passed  him  unobserved.  Mr.  Hardinge 
was  walking  from,  and  I  toward  the  John,  and  of  course  all  my 
risk  terminated  as  soon  as  out  of  .sight. 

That  evening  I  had  the  happiness  of  being  under  way,  in  a 
real  full-rigged  ship.  It  is  true,  it  was  under  very  short  canvas, 
and  merely  to  go  into  the  stream.  Taking  advantage  of  a  fa 
vorable  wind  and  tide,  the  John  left  the  wharf  under  her  jib, 
main-topmast  staysail,  and  spanker,  and  dropped  down  as  low 
ns  the  Battery,  when  she  sheered  into  the  other  channel  and 
anchored.  Here  I  was,  then,  fairly  at  anchor  in  the  stream,  half 
a  mile  from  any  land  but  the  bottom,  and  burning  to  see  the 
ocean.  That  afternoon  the  crew-  came  on  board,  a  motley  col 
lection  of  lately  drunken  seamen,  of  whom  about  half  were 
Americans,  and  the  rest  natives  of  as  many  different  countries 
as  there  were  men.  Mr.  Marble  scanned  them  with  a  knowing 
look,  and,  to  my  surprise,  he  told  the  captain  there  was  good 
stuft  among  them.  It  seems  he  was  a  better  judge  than  I  was 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

myself,  for  a  more  unpromising  set  of  wretches,  as  to  looks,  T 
never  saw  grouped  together.  A  few,  it  is  true,  appeared  well 
enough ;  but  most  of  them  had  the  air  of  having  been  dragged 
through — a  place  I  will  not  name,  though  it  is  that  which  sail 
ors  usually  quote  when  describing  themselves  on  such  occasions. 
But  Jack,  after  he  has  been  a  week  at  sea,  and  Jack  coming  on 
board  to  duty  after  a  month  of  excesses  on  shore,  are  very  differ 
ent  creatures,  morally  and  physically. 

I  now  began  to  regret  that  I  had  not  seen  a  little  of  the 
town.  In  1797,  New  York  could  not  have  had  more  than  fifty 
thousand  inhabitants,  though  it  was  just  as  much  of  a  paragon 
then,  in  the  eyes  of  all  good  Americans,  as  it  is  to-day.  It  is 
a  sound  patriotic  rule  to  maintain  that  our  best  is  always  the 
best,  for  it  never  puts  us  in  the  wrong.  I  have  seen  enough 
of  the  world  since  to  understand  that  we  get  a  great  many 
things  wrong-end  foremost,  in  this  country  of  ours  ;  under 
valuing  those  advantages  and  excellences  of  which  we  have 
great  reason  to  be  proud,  and  boasting  of  others  that,  to  say  the 
least,  are  exceedingly  equivocal.  But  it  takes  time  to  learn  all 
this,  and  I  have  no  intention  of  getting  ahead  of  my  story,  or 
of  my  country ;  the  last  being  a  most  suicidal  act. 

We  received  the  crew  of  a  Saturday  afternoon,  and  half  of 
them  turned  in  immediately.  Rupert  and  I  had  a  good  berth, 
intending  to  turn  in  and  out  together,  during  the  voyage ;  and 
this  made  us  rather  indifferent  to  the  movements  of  the  rest  of 
our  extraordinary  associates.  The  kid,  at  supper,  annoyed  us 
both  a  little;  the  notion  of  seeing  one's  food  in  a  round  trough, 
to  be  tumbled  over  and  cut  from  by  all  hands,  being  particularly 
disagreeable  to  those  who  have  been  accustomed  to  plates, 
knives  and  forks,  and  such  other  superfluities.  I  confess  I 
thought  of  Grace's  and  Lucy's  little  white  hands,  and  of  silver 
sugar-tongs,  and  of  clean  plates  and  glasses,  and  table-cloths — 
napkins  and  silver  forks  were  then  unknown  in  America,  except 
on  the  very  best  tables,  and  not  always  on  them,  unless  on  high 
days  and  holidays — as  we  were  going  through  the  unsophisti 
cated  manipulations  of  this  first  supper.  Forty-seven  years  have 


60  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

elapsed,  and  the  whole  scene  is  as  vivid  to  my  mind  at  this 
moment,  as  if  it  occurred  last  night.  I  wished  myself  one  of 
the  long-snouted  tribe,  several  times,  in  order  to  be  in  what  is 
called  "  keeping." 

I  had  the  honor  of  keeping  an  anchor-watch  in  company  with 
a  griim  old  Swede,  as  we  lay  in  the  Hudson.  The  wind  was 
light,  and  the  ship  had  a  good  berth,  so  my  associate  chose  a 
soft  plank,  told  me  to  give  him  a  call  should  any  thing  happen, 
and  lay  down  to  sleep  away  his  two  hours  in  comfort.  Not  so 
with  me.  I  strutted  the  deck  with  as  much  importance  as  if 
the  weight  of  the  state  lay  on  my  shoulders — paid  a  visit  every 
five  minutes  to  the  bows,  to  see  that  the  cable  had  not  parted, 
and  that  the  anchor  did  not  "  come  home" — and  then  looked 
aloft,  to  ascertain  that  every  thing  was  in  its  place.  Those  were 
a  happy  two  hours ! 

About  ten  next  morning,  being  Sunday,  and,  as  Mr.  Marble 
expressed  it,  "  the  better  day,  the  better  deed,"  the  pilot  came 
off,  and  all  hands  were  called  to  "  up  anchor."  The  cook,  cabin- 
boy,  Rupert  and  I,  were  intrusted  with  the  duty  of  "  fleeting 
jig''  and  breaking  down  the  coils  of  the  cable,  the  handspikes 
requiring  heavier  hands  than  ours.  The  anchor  was  got  in 
without  any  difficulty,  however,  when  Rupert  and  I  were  sent 
aloft  to  loose  the  fore-topsail.  Rupert  got  into  the  top  via  the 
lubber's  hole,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  and  the  loosing  of  the  sail  on 
both  yard-arms  fell  to  my  duty.  A  hand  was  on  the  fore-yard, 
and  I  was  next  ordered  up  to  loose  the  topgallant-sail.  Canvas 
began  to  fall  and  open  all  over  the  ship,  the  topsails  were  mast 
headed,  and,  as  I  looked  down  from  the  fore-topmast  cross- 
trees,  where  I  remained  to  overhaul  the  clew-lines,  I  saw  that 
the  ship  was  falling  off.  and  that  her  sails  were  filling  with  a 
stiff  north-west  breeze.  Just  as  my  whole  being  was  entranced 
with  the  rapture  of  being  under  way  for  Canton,  which  was 
then  called  the  Indies,  Rupert  called  out  to,  me  from  the  top. 
He  was  pointing  at  some  object  on  the  water,  and,  turning,  I 
saw  a  boat  within  a  hundred  feet  of  the  ship.  In  her  was  Mr. 
Hardinge,  who  at  that  moment  caught  sight  of  us.  But  the 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHOKE. 


61 


slap's  sails  were  now  all  full,  and  no  one  on  deck  saw,  or  at  least 
heeded,  the  boat.  The  John  glided  past  it,  and,  the  last  I  saw 
of  my  venerated  guardian,  he  was  standing  erect,  bareheaded, 
holding  both  arms  extended,  as  if  entreating  us  not  to  desert 
him!  Presently  the  ship  fell  off  so  much,  that  the  after-sails 
hid  him  from  my  view. 

I  descended  into  the  top,  where  I  found  Rupert  had  shrunk 
down  out  of  sight,  looking  frightened  and  guilty.  As  for  my 
self,  I  got  behind  the  head  of  the  mast,  and  fairly  sobbed.  This 
lasted  a  few  minutes,  when  an  order  from  the  mate  called  us 
both  below.  When  I  reached  the  deck,  the  boat  was  already  a 
long  distance  astern,  and  had  evidently  given  up  the  idea  of 
boarding  us.  I  do  not  know  whether  I  felt  the  most  relieved  or 
pained  by  the  certainty  of  this  fact. 


62  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

"There  Is  a  tide  in  the  affairs  of  men, 
Which,  taken  at  the  flood,  leads  on  to  fortune. 
Omitted,  all  the  voyage  of  their  life 
Is  bound  in  shallows,  and  in  miseries. 
On  such  a  full  sea  are  we  now  afloat ; 
And  we  must  take  the  current  when  it  servefl, 
Or  lose  our  ventures." 

BRUTUS— Jcxnis  C.ESAB. 

IN  four  hours  from  the  time  when  Rupert  and  I  last  saw  Mr. 
Hardinge,  the  ship  was  at  sea.  She  crossed  the  bar,  and 
started  on  her  long  journey,  with  a  fresh  north-wester,  and  with 
every  thing  packed  on  that  she  would  bear.  We  took  a  diago 
nal  course  out  of  the  bight  formed  by  the  coasts  of  Long  Island 
and  New  Jersey,  and  sunk  the  land  entirely  by  the  middle  of 
the  afternoon.  I  watched  the  highlands  of  Navesink,  as  they 
vanished  like  watery  clouds  in  the  west,  and  then  I  felt  I  was  at 
last  fairly  out  of  sight  of  land.  But  a  foremast-hand  has  little 
opportunity  for  indulging  in  sentiment  as  he  quits  his  native 
shore  ;  and  few,  I  fancy,  have  the  disposition.  As  regards  the 
opportunity,  anchors  are  to  be  got  in  off  the  bows,  and  stowed; 
cables  are  to  be  unbent  and  coiled  down;  studding-gear  is  to  be 
hauled  out  and  got  ready ;  frequently  boom-irons  are  to  be 
placed  upon  the  yards,  and  the  hundred  preparations  made, 
that  render  the  work  of  a  ship  as  ceaseless  a  round  of  activity 
as  that  of  a  house.  This  kept  us  all  busy  until  night,  when 
the  watches  were  told  off  and  set.  I  was  in  the  larboard,  or 
chief  mate's  watch,  having  actually  been  chosen  by  that  hard- 
featured  old  seaman,  the  fourth  man  he  named ;  an  honor  for 
which  I  was  indebted  to  the  activity  I  had  already  manifested 
aloft.  Rupert  was  less  distinguished,  being  taken  by  the  cap- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  63 

tain  for  the  second  mate's  watch,  the  very  last  person  chosen. 
That  night  Mr.  Marble  dropped  a  few  hints  on  the  subject, 
which  let  me  into  the  secret  of  these  two  selections.  "  You 
and  I  will  get  along  well  together,  I  see  that  plainly,  Miles,"  he 
said.  "  for  there's  quicksilver  in  your  body.  As  for  your  friend 
in  t'other  watch,  it's  all  as  it  should  be ;  the  captain  has  got  one 
hand  the  most,  and  such  as  he  is,  he  is  welcome  to  him.  He'll 
blacken,  more  writing  paper  this  v?y'ge,  I  reckon,  than  he'll  tar 
down  riggin'."  I  thought  it  odd,  however,  that  Rupert,  who 
had  been  so  forward  in  all  the  preliminaries  of  our  adventure, 
should  fall  so  far  astern  in  its  first  practical  results. 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  dwell  on  all  the  minute  incidents  of 
this,  my  first  voyage  to  sea,  else  would  it  spin  out  the  narrative 
unnecessarily,  and  render  my  task  as  fatiguing  to  the  reader  as 
it  might  prove  to  myself.  One  occurrence,  however,  which 
took  place  three  days  out,  must  be  mentioned,  as  it  will  prove 
to  be  connected  with  important  circumstances  in  the  end.  The 
ship  was  now  in  order,  and  was  at  least  two  hundred  leagues 
from  the  land,  having  had  a  famous  run  off  the  coast,  when  the 
voice  of  the  cook,  who  had  gone  below  for  water,  was  heard 
down  among  the  casks,  in  such  a  clamor  as  none  but  a  black  can 
raise,  with  all  his  loquacity  awakened. 

"  There's  two  niggers  at  that  work  !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Marble, 
after  listening  an  instant,  glancing  his  eye  round  to  make  cer 
tain  the  mulatto  steward  was  not  in  the  discussion.  "  No  one 
darkey  ever  could  make  all  that  outcry.  Bear  a  hand  below, 
Miles,  and  see  if  Africa  has  come  aboard  us  in  the  night." 

I  was  in  the  act  of  obeying,  when  Cato,  the  cook,  was  seen 
rising  through  the  steerage-hatch,  dragging  after  him  the  dark 
poll  of  another  black,  whom  he  had  gripped  by  the  wool.  In 
an  instant  both  were  on  deck,  when,  to  my  astonishment,  I  dis 
covered  the  agitated  countenance  of  Nebuchadnezzar  Claw- 
bonny.  Of  course  the  secret  was  out,  the  instant  the  lad's 
glistening  features  were  recognized. 

Neb,  in  a  word,  had  managed  to  get  on  board  the  ship  before 
the  hauled  out  into  the  stream,  and  lay  concealed  among  the 


64  AFLOAT      AND     ASHORK. 

water-casks,  his  pockets  crammed  with  ginger-bread  and  apples, 
until  discovered  by  the  cook,  in  one  of  his  journeys  in  quest  of 
water.  The  food  of  the  lad  had  been  gone  twenty-four  hours, 
and  it  is  not  probable  the  fellow  could  have  remained  concealed 
much  longer,  had  not  this  discovery  taken  place.  The  instant 
he  was  on  deck,  Neb  looked  eagerly  around  to  ascertain  how 
far  the  ship  had  got  from  the  land,  and,  seeing  nothing  but 
water  on  every  side  of  him,  he  fairly  grinned  with  delight. 
This  exasperated  Mr.  Marble,  who  thought  it  was  adding  insult 
to  injury,  and  he  gave  the  lad  a  cuff  on  the  ear  that  would 
have  set  a  white  reeling.  On  Neb,  however,  this  sharp  blow 
produced  no  effect,  falling  as  it  did  on  the  impregnable  part  of 
his  system. 

"  Oh !  you're  a  nigger,  be  you  ?"  exclaimed  the  mate,  waxing 
warmer  and  warmer,  as  he  fancied  himself  baffled  by  the 
other's  powers  of  endurance.  "  Take  that,  and  -let  us  see  if 
you're  full-blooded !" 

A  smart  rap  on  the  shin  accompanying  these  words,  Neb  gave 
in  on  the  instant.  He  begged  for  mercy,  and  professed  a  read 
iness  to  tell  all,  protesting  he  was  not  "  a  runaway  nigger^'-^a 
term  the  mate  used  while  applying  the  kicks. 

I  now  interfered,  by  telling  Mr.  Marble,  with  all  the  respect 
due  from  a  green  hand  to  a  chief  mate,  who  Neb  really  was,  and 
what  I  supposed  to  be  his  motives  for  following  me  to  the  ship. 
This  revelation  cost  me  a  good  deal  in  the  end,  the  idea  of 
Jack's  having  a  "  waiting-man"  on  board  giving  rise  to  a  great 
many  jokes  at  my  expense  during  the  rest  of  the  voyage.  Had 
I  not  been  so  active,  and  so  willing,  a  great  source  of  favor  on 
board  a  ship,  it  is  probable  these  jokes  would  have  been  much 
broader  and  more  frequent.  As  it  was,  they  annoyed  me  a 
good  deal ;  and  it  required  a  strong  exercise  of  all  the  boyish 
regard  I  really  entertained  for  Neb,  to  refrain  from  turning-to 
and  giving  him  a  sound  threshing  for  his  exploit,  at  the  first 
good  occasion.  And  yet,  what  was  his  delinquency  compared 
to  my  own  ?  He  had  followed  his  master  out  of  deep  affection, 
blended  somewhat,  it  is  true,  with  a  love  of  adventure ;  while, 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHOKE.  0-J 

in  one  sense,  I  had  violated  all  the  ties  of  the  heart,  merely  to 
indulge  the  latter  passion. 

The  captain  coming  on  deck,  Neb's  story  was  told,  and,  find 
ing  that  no  wages  would  be  asked  in  behalf  of  this  athletic, 
healthy  young  negro,  he  had  no  difficulty  in  receiving  him  into 
favor.  To  Neb's  great  delight,  he  was  sent  forward  to  take  his 
share  on  the  yards  and  in  the  rigging,  there  being  no  vacancy 
for  him  to  fill  about  the  caboose,  or  in  the  cabin.  In  an  hour 
the  negro  was  fed,  and  he  was  regularly  placed  in  the  starboard 
watch.  I  was  rejoiced  at  this  last  arrangement,  as  it  put  the 
fellow  in  a  watch  different  from  my  own,  and  prevented  his 
officious  efforts  to  do  my  work.  Rupert,  I  discovered,  however, 
profited  often  by  his  zeal,  employing  the  willing  black  on  every 
possible  occasion.  On  questioning  Neb,  I  ascertained  that  he 
had  taken  the  boat  round  to  the  Wallingford,  and  had  made 
use  of  a  dollar  or  two,  I  had  given  him  at  parting,  to  board  in 
a  house  suitable  to  his  color,  until  the  ship  was  ready  for  sea, 
when  he  got  on  board,  and  stowed  himself  among  the  water- 
casks,  as  mentioned. 

Neb's  apparition  soon  ceased  to  be  a  subject  of  discourse, 
and  his  zeal  quickly  made  him  a  general  favorite.  Hardy,  strong, 
resolute,  and  accustomed  to  labor,  he  was  early  of  great  use  in 
all  the  heavy  drags ;  and  aloft,  even,  though  less  quick  than  a 
white  would  have  been,  he  got  to  be  serviceable  and  reasonably 
expert.  My  own  progress — and  I  say  it  without  vanity,  but 
simply  because  it  was  true — was  the  subject  of  general  remark. 
One  week  made  me  familiar  with  the  running-gear ;  and,  by 
that  time,  I  could  tell  a  rope  by  its  size,  the  manner  in  which  it 
led,  and  the  place  where  it  was  belayed,  in  the  darkest  night,  a^ 
well  as  the  oldest  seaman  on  board.  It  is  true,  my  model-ship 
had  prepared  the  way  for  much  of  this  expertness ;  but,  free 
from  all  sea-sickness,  of  which  I  never  had  a  moment  in  my  life, 
I  set  about  learning  these  things  in  good  earnest,  and  was  fully 
rewarded  for  my  pains.  I  passed  the  weather-earing  of  the 
mizzen-topsail  when  we  had  been  out  a  fortnight,  and  went  to 
those  of  the  fore  and  main  before  we  crossed  the  line.  The 


66  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

mate  put  me  forward  on  all  occasions,  giving  me  much  instruc 
tion  in  private;  and  the  captain  neglected  no  opportunity  of 
giving  me  useful  hints,  or  practical  ideas.  I  asked,  and  was 
allowed,  to  take  my  regular  trick  at  the  wheel  before  we  got 
into  the  latitude  of  St.  Helena ;  and  from  that  time  did  my  full 
share  of  seaman's  duty  on  board,  the  nicer  work  of  knotting, 
splicing,  etc.,  excepted.  These  last  required  a  little  more  time ; 
but  I  am  satisfied  that,  in  all  things  but  judgment,  a  clever  lad, 
who  has  a  taste  for  the  business,  can  make  himself  a  very  useful 
and  respectable  mariner  in  six  months  of  active  service. 

China  voyages  seldom  produce  much  incident.  If  the  moment 
of  sailing  has  been  judiciously  timed,  the  ship  has  fair  winds 
much  of  the  way,  and  generally  moderate  weather.  To  be  sure, 
there  are  points  on  the  long  road  that  usually  give  one  a  taste 
of  what  the  seas  sometimes  are ;  but,  on  the  whole,  a  Canton 
voyage,  though  a  long  one,  cannot  be  called  a  rough  one.  As 
a  matter  of  course,  we  had  gales,  and  squalls,  and  the  usual 
vicissitudes  of  the  ocean,  to  contend  with,  though  our  voyage 
to  Canton  might  have  been  called  quiet,  rather  than  the  reverse. 
We  were  four  months  under  our  canvas,  and,  when  we  anchored 
in  the  river,  the  clewing  up  of  our  sails,  and  getting  from 
beneath  their  shadows,  resembled  the  rising  of  a  curtain  on 
some  novel  scenic  representation.  John  Chinaman,  however, 
has  been  so  often  described,  particularly  of  late,  that  I  shall  not 
dwell  on  his  peculiarities.  Sailors,  as  a  class,  are  very  philo 
sophical,  so  far  as  the  peculiarities  and  habits  of  strangers  are 
concerned,  appearing  to  think  it  beneath  the  dignity  of  those 
who  visit  all  lands,  to  betray  wonder  at  the  novelties  of  any.  It 
so  happened  that  no  man  on  board  the  John,  the  officers,  stew 
ard  and  cook  excepted,  had  ever  doubled  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope  before  this  voyage ;  and  yet  our  crew  regarded  the  shorn 
polls,  slanting  eyes,  long  queues,  clumsy  dresses,  high  cheek 
bones,  and  lumbering  shoes  of  the  people  they  now  saw  for  the 
first  time,  with  just  as  much  indifference  as  they  would  have 
encountered  a  new  fashion  at  home.  Most  of  them,  indeed, 
had  seen,  or  fancied  they  had  seen,  much  stranger  sights  in  the 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  67 

different  countries  they  had  visited ;  it  being  a  standing  rule 
with  Jack  to  compress  every  thing  that  is  wonderful  into  the 
"  last  voyage" — that  in  which  he  is  engaged  for  the  present 
time  being  usually  set  down  as  common-place,  and  unworthy  of 
particular  comment.  On  this  principle,  my  Canton  excursion 
ought  to  be  full  of  marvels,  as  it  was  the  progenitor  of  all  that 
I  subsequently  saw  and  experienced  as  a  sailor.  Truth  compels 
me  to  confess,  notwithstanding,  that  it  was  one  of  the  least 
wonderful  of  all  the  voyages  T  ever  made-  until  near  its  close. 

We  lay  some  months  in  the  river,  getting  cargo,  receiving 
teas,  nankins,  silks  and  other  articles,  as  our  supercargo  could 
lay  hands  on  them.  In  all  this  time,  we  saw  just  as  much  of 
the  Chinese  as  it  is  usual  for  strangers  to  see,  and  not  a  jot 
more.  I  was  much  up  at  the  factories  with  the  captain,  having 
charge  of  his  boat ;  and,  as  for  Rupert,  he  passed  most  of  his 
working-hours  either  busy  with  the  supercargo  ashore,  or  writ 
ing  in  the  cabin.  I  got  a  good  insight,  however,  into  the  uses 
of  the  serving-mallet,  the  fid,  marlinspike,  and  winch,  and  did 
something  with  the  needle  and  palm.  Marble  was  very  good 
to  me,  in  spite  of  his  nor' -west  face,  and  never  let  slip  an  occa 
sion  to  give  a  useful  hint.  I  believe  my  exertions  on  the  out 
ward-bound  passage  fully  equalled  expectations,  and  the  officers 
had  a  species  of  pride  in  helping  to  make  Captain  Wallingford'a 
son  worthy  of  his  honorable  descent.  I  had  taken  occasion  to 
let  it  be  known  that  Rupert's  great-grandfather  had  been  a  man- 
of-war  captain ;  but  the  suggestion  was  met  by  a  flat  refusal  to 
believe  it  from  Mr.  Kite,  the  second  mate,  though  Mr.  Mar 
ble  remarked  it  might  be  so,  as  I  admitted  that  both  his  father 
and  grandfather  had  been,  or  were,  in  the  church.  My  friend 
seemed  fated  to  achieve  nothing  but  the  glory  of  a  "  barber's 
clerk." 

Our  hatches  were  got  on  and  battened  down,  and  we  sailed 
for  home  early  in  the  spring  of  1798.  The  ship  had  a  good 
run  across  the  China  Sea,  and  reached  the  Indies  in  rather  a 
short  passage.  We  had  cleared  all  the  islands,  and  were  fairly 
in  the  Indian  Ocean,  when  an  adventure  occurred,  which  was 


68  AFLOAT      AND      A  S  11  O  K  E . 

the  first  really  worthy  of  being  related  that  we  met  in  the  whole 
voyage.  I  shall  give  it,  in  as  few  words  as  possible. 

We  had  cleared  the  Straits  of  Sunda  early  in  the  morning, 
and  had  made  a  pretty  fair  run  in  the  course  of  the  day,  though 
most  of  the  time  in  thick  weather.  Just  as  the  sun  set,  how 
ever,  the  horizon  became  clear,  and  we  got  a  sight  of  two  small 
sail,  seemingly  heading  in  toward  the  coast  of  Sumatra,  proas  by 
their  rig  and  dimensions.  They  were  so  distant,  and  were  so 
evidently  steering  for  the  land,  that  no  one  gave  them  much 
thought,  or  bestowed  on  them  any  particular  attention.  Proas 
in  that  quarter  were  usually  distrusted  by  ships,  it  is  true ;  but 
the  sea  is  full  of  them,  and  far  more  are  innocent  than  are  guilty 
of  any  acts  of  violence.  Then  it  became  dark  soon  after  these 
craft  were  seen,  and  night  shut  them  in.  An  hour  after  the  sun 
had  set,  the  wind  fell  to  a  light  air,  that  just  kept  steerage-way 
on  the  ship.  Fortunately,  the  John  was  not  only  fast,  but  she 
minded  her  helm,  as  a  light-footed  girl  turns  in  a  lively  dance. 
I  never  was  in  a  better-steering  ship,  most  especially  in  moder 
ate  weather. 

Mr.  Marble  had  the  middle  watch  that  night,  and,  of  course, 
I  was  on  deck  from  midnight  until  four  in  the  morning.  It 
proved  misty  most  of  the  watch,  and  for  quite  an  hour  we  had 
a  light  drizzling  rain.  The  ship  the  whole  time  was  close-hauled, 
carrying  royals.  As  everybody  seemed  to  have  made  up  his 
mind  to  a  quiet  night,  one  without  any  reefing  or  furling,  most 
of  the  watch  were  sleeping  about  the  decks,  or  wherever  they 
could  get  good  quarters,  and  be  least  in  the  way.  I  do  not 
know  what  kept  me  awake,  for  lads  of  my  age  are  apt  to  get  all 
the  sleep  they  can ;  but  I  believe  I  was  thinking  of  Clawbonny, 
and  Grace,  and  Lucy ;  for  the  latter,  excellent  girl  as  she  was, 
often  crossed  my  mind  in  those  days  of  youth  and  compara 
tive  innocence.  Awake  I  was,  and  walking  in  the  weather- 
gangway,  in  a  sailor's  trot.  Mr.  Marble,  he  I  do  believe  was 
fairly  snoozing  on  the  hen-coops,  being,  like  the  sails,  as  one 
might  say,  barely  "  asleep."  At  that  moment  I  heard  a  noise, 
one  familiar  to  seamen ;  that  of  an  oar  falling  in  a  boat.  So 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  00 

completely  was  my  mind  bent  on  other  and  distant  scenes,  that 
at  first  I  felt  no  surprise,  as  if  we  were  in  a  harbor  surrounded  by 
craft  of  various  sizes,  coming  and  going  at  all  hours.  But  a 
second  thought  destroyed  this  illusion,  and  I  looked  eagerly 
about  me.  Directly  on  our  weather-bow,  distant,  perhaps,  a 
cable's  length,  I  saw  a  small  sail,  and  I  could  distinguish  it 
sufficiently  well  to  perceive  it  was  a  proa.  I  sang  out  "  Sail  ho ! 
and  close  aboard !" 

Mr.  Marble  was  on  his  feet  in  an  instant.  He  afterward  told 
me  that  when  he  opened  his  eyes,  for  he  admitted  this  much  to 
me  in  confidence,  they  fell  directly  on  the  stranger.  He  was 
too  much  of  a  seaman  to  require  a  second  look  in  order  to  as 
certain  what  was  to  be  done.  "  Keep  the  ship  away — keep  her 
broad  off !"  he  called  out  to  the  man  at  the  wheel.  "  Lay  the 
yards  square — call  all  hands,  one  of  you.  Captain  Robbins,  Mr. 
Kite,  bear  a  hand  up ;  the  bloody  proas  are  aboard  us  !"  The 
last  part  of  this  call  was  uttered  in  a  loud  voice,  with  the  speak 
er's  head  down  the  companion-way.  It  was  heard  plainly  enough 
below,  but  scarcely  at  all  on  deck. 

In  the  mean  time  everybody  was  in  motion.  It  is  amazing 
how  soon  sailors  are  wide  awake  when  there  is  really  any  thing 
to  do  !  It  appeared  to  me  that  all  our  people  mustered  on  deck 
in  less  than  a  minute,  most  of  them  with  nothing  on  but  their 
shirts  and  trowsers.  The  ship  was  nearly  before  the  wind  by 
the  time  I  heard  the  captain's  voice ;  and  then  Mr.  Kite  came 
bustling  in  among  us  forward,  ordering  most  of  the  men  to  lay 
aft  to  the  braces,  remaining  himself  on  the  forecastle,  and  keep 
ing  me  with  him  to  let  go  the  sheets.  On  the  forecastle,  the 
strange  sail  was  no  longer  visible,  being  now  abaft  the  beam ; 
but  I  co'uld  hear  Mr.  Marble  swearing  there  were  two  of  them, 
and  that  they  must  be  the  very  chaps  we  had  seen  to  leeward, 
and  standing  in  for  the  land  at  sunset.  I  also  heard  the  captain 
calling  out  to  the  steward  to  bring  him  a  powder-horn.  Imme 
diately  after,  orders  were  given  to  let  fly  all  our  sheets  forward, 
and  then  I  perceived  that  they  were  waring  ship.  Nothing 
saved  us  but  the  prompt  order  of  Mr.  Marble  to  keep  the  ship 


70  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

away,  by  which  means,  instead  of  moving  toward  the  proas,  we 
instantly  began  to  move  from  them.  Although  they  went  three 
feet  to  our  two,  this  gave  us  a  moment  of  breathing  time. 

As  our  sheets  were  all  flying  forward,  and  remained  so  for  a 
few  minutes,  it  gave  me  leisure  to  look  about.  I  soon  saw  both 
proas,  and  glad  enough  was  I  to  perceive  that  they  had  not  ap 
proached  materially  nearer.  Mr.  Kite  observed  this  also,  and 
remarked  that  our  movements  had  been  so  prompt  as  to  "  take 
the  rascals  aback."  He  meant  they  did  not  exactly  know  what 
we  were  at,  and  had  not  kept  away  with  us. 

At  this  instant,  the  captain  and  five  or  six  of  the  oldest  sea 
men  began  to  cast  loose  all  our  starboard,  or  weather  guns,  four 
in  all,  and  sixes.  We  had  loaded  these  guns  in  the  Straits  of 
Banca,  with  grape  and  canister,  in  readiness  for  just  such  pirates 
as  were  now  coming  down  upon  us ;  and  nothing  was  wanting 
but  the  priming  and  a  hot  loggerhead.  It  seems  two  of  the 
last  had  been  ordered  in  the  fire,  when  we  saw  the  proas  at  sun 
set  ;  and  they  were  now  in  excellent  condition  for  service,  Ike 
coals  being  kept  around  them  all  night  by  command.  I  saw  a 
cluster  of  men  busy  with  the  second  gun  from  forward,  and 
could  distinguish  the  captain  pointing  it. 

"  There  cannot  well  be  any  mistake,  Mr.  Marble  ?"  the  captain 
observed,  hesitating  whether  to  fire  or  not. 

"  Mistake,  sir  ?  Lord,  Captain  Bobbins,  you  might  cannon 
ade  any  of  the  islands  astern  for  a  weeb,  and  never  hurt  an 
honest  man.  Let  'em  have  it,  sir;  I'll  answer  for  it,  you  do 
good." 

This  settled  the  matter.  The  loggerhead  was  applied,  and 
one  of  our  sixes  spoke  out  in  a  smart  report.  A  breathless 
stillness  succeeded.  The  proas  did  not  alter  their  course,  but 
neared  us  fast.  The  captain  levelled  his  night-glass,  and  I  heard 
him  tell  Kite,  in  a  low  voice,  that  they  were  full  of  men.  The 
word  was  now  passed  to  clear  away  ah1  the  guns,  and  to  open 
the  arm-chest,  to  come  at  the  muskets  and  pistols.  I  heard  the 
rattling  of  the  boarding-pikes,  too,  as  they  were  cut  adrift  from 
the  spanker-boom,  and  fell  upon  the  deck.  All  this  sounded 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  71 

very  ominous,  and  I  began  to  think  \ve  should  have  a  desper 
ate  engagement  first,  and  then  have  all  our  throats  cut  after 
ward. 

I  expected  now  to  hear  the  guns  discharged  in  quick  succes 
sion,  but  they  were  got  ready  only,  not  fired.  Kite  went  aft,  and 
returned  with  three  or  four  muskets,  and  as  many  pikes.  He  gave 
the  latter  to  those  of  the  people  who  had  nothing  to  do  with 
the  guns.  By  this  time  the  ship  was  on  a  wind,  steering  a  good 
full,  while  the  two  proas  were  just  abeam,  and  closing  fast.  The 
stillness  that  reigned  on  both  sides  was  like  that  of  death.  The 
proas,  however,  fell  a  little  more  astern ;  the  result  of  their  own 
maneuvering,  out  of  all  doubt,  as  they  moved  through  the  water, 
much  faster  than  the  ship,  seeming  desirous  of  dropping  into 
our  wake,  with  a  design  of  closing  under  our  stern,  and  avoid 
ing  our  broadside.  As  this  would  never  do,  and  the  wind 
freshened  so  as  to  give  us  four  or  five  knot  way,  a  most  fortunate 
circumstance  for  us,  the  captain  determined  to  tack  while  he 
had  room.  The  John  behaved  beautifully,  and  came  round  like 
a  top.  The  proas  saw  there  was  no  time  to  lose,  and  attempted 
to  close  before  we  could  fill  again ;  and  this  they  would  have 
done  with  ninety-nine  ships  in  a  hundred.  The  captain  knew 
his  vessel,  however,  and  did  not  let  her  lose  her  way,  making 
every  thing  draw  again  as  it  might  be  by  instinct.  The  proas 
tacked,  too,  and,  laying  up  much  nearer  to  the  wind  than  we 
did,  appeared  as  if  about  to  close  on  our  lee-bow.  The  question 
was,  now,  whether  we  could  pass  them  or  not  before  they  got 
near  enough  to  grapple.  If  the  pirates  got  on  board  us,  we 
were  hopelessly  gone ;  and  every  thing  depended  on  coolness 
and  judgment.  The  captain  behaved  perfectly  well  in  this  criti 
cal  instant,  commanding  a  dead  silence,  and  the  closest  attention 
to  his  orders. 

I  was  too  much  interested  at  this  moment  to  feel  the  concern 
that  I  might  otherwise  have  experienced.  On  the  forecastle,  it  ap 
peared  to  us  all  that  we  should  be  boarded  in  a  minute,  for  one 
of  the  proas  was  actually  within  a  hundred  feet,  though  losing 
her  advantage  a  little  by  getting  under  the  lee  of  our  sails. 


72  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

Kite  had  ordered  us  to  muster  forward  of  the  rigging,  to  meet 
the  expected  leap  with  a  discharge  of  muskets,  and  then  to 
present  our  pikes,  when  I  felt  an  arm  thrown  around  my  body, 
and  was  turned  in-board,  while  another  person  assumed  my 
place.  This  was  Neb,  who  had  thus  coolly  thrust  himself  before 
me,  in  order  to  meet  the  danger  first.  I  felt  vexed,  even  while 
touched  with  the  fellow's  attachment  and  self-devotion,  but  had 
no  time  to  betray  either  feeling  before  the  crews  of  the  proas 
gave  a  yell,  and  discharged  some  fifty  or  sixty  matchlocks  at  us. 
The  air  was  full  of  bullets,  but  they  all'  went  over  our  heads. 
Not  a  soul  on  board  the  John  was  hurt.  On  our  side,  we  gave 
the  gentlemen  the  four  sixes,  two  at  the  nearest  and  two  at  the 
sternmost  proa,  Avhich  was  still  near  a  cable's  length  distant. 
As  often  happens,  the  one  seemingly  farthest  from  danger,  fared 
the  worst.  Our  grape  and  canister  had  room  to  scatter,  and  I 
can  at  this  distant  day  still  hear  the  shrieks  that  arose  from  that 
craft !  They  were  like  the  yells  of  fiends  in  anguish.  The 
effect  on  that  proa  was  instantaneous ;  instead  of  keeping  on 
after  her  consort,  she  wore  short  round  on  her  heel,  and  stood 
away  in  our  wake,  on  the  other  tack,  apparently  to  get  out  of 
the  range  of  our  fire. 

I  doubt  if  we  touched  a  man  in  the  nearest  proa.  At  any 
rate,  no  noise  proceeded  from  her,  and  she  came  up  under  our 
bows  fast.  As  every  gun  was  discharged,  and  there  was  not 
time  to  load  them,  all  now  depended  on  repelling  the  boarders. 
Part  of  our  people  mustered  in  the  waist,  where  it  was  expected 
the  proa  would  fall  alongside,  and  part  on  the  forecastle.  Just 
as  this  distribution  was  made,  the  pirates  cast  their  grapnel.  It 
was  admirably  thrown,  but  caught  only  by  a  ratlin.  I  saw  this, 
and  was  about  to  jump  into  the  rigging  to  try  what  I  could  do 
to  clear  it,  when  Neb  again  went  ahead  of  me,  and  cut  the  rat 
lin  with  his  knife.  This  was  just  as  the  pirates  had  abandoned 
sails  and  oars,  and  had  risen  to  haul  up  alongside.  So  sudden 
was  the  release,  that  twenty  of  them  fell  over  by  their  own 
efforts.  In  this  state  the  ship  passed  ahead,  all  her  canvas  being 
full,  leaving  the  proa  motionless  in  her  wake.  In  passing,  how- 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHOKE.  73 

ever,  the  two  vessels  were  so  near,  that  those  aft  in  the  John 
distinctly  saw  the  swarthy  faces  of  their  enemies. 

We  were  no  sooner  clear  of  the  proas  than  the  order  was 
given,  "  ready  about !"  The  helm  was  put  down,  and  the  ship 
came  into  the  wind  in  a  minute.  As  we  came  square  with  the 
two  proas,  all  our  larboard  guns  were  given  to  them,  and  this 
ended  the  affair.  I  think  the  nearest  of  the  rascals  got  it  this 
time,  for  away  she  went,  after  her  consort,  both  running  oft' 
toward  the  islands.  We  made  a  little  show  of  chasing,  but  it 
was  only  a  feint ;  for  we  were  too  glad  to  get  away  from  them,  to 
be  in  earnest.  In  ten  minutes  after  we  tacked  the  last  time,  we 
ceased  firing,  having  thrown  some  eight  or  ten  round-shot  after 
the  proas,  and  were  close-hauled  again,  heading  to  the  south-west. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  we  went  to  sleep  again  immediately. 
Neb  was  the  only  man  on  board  who  did,  but  he  never  missed 
an  occasion  to  eat  or  sleep.  The  captain  praised  us,  and,  as  a 
matter  of  course  in  that  day,  he  called  all  hands  to  "  splice  the 
main-brace."  After  this,  the  watch  was  told  to  go  below,  as 
regularly  as  if  nothing  had  happened.  As  for  the  captain  him 
self,  he  and  Mr.  Marble  and  Mr.  Kite  went  prying  about  the 
ship  to  ascertain  if  any  thing  material  had  been  cut  by  what  the 
chief  mate  called  "the  bloody  Indian  matchlocks."  A  little 
running-rigging  had  suffered,  and  we  had  to  reeve  a  few  new 
ropes  in  the  morning ;  but  this  terminated  the  affair. 

I  need  hardly  say,  all  hands  of  us  were  exceedingly  proud  of 
our  exploit.  Everybody  was  praised  but  Neb,  who,  being  a 
"  nigger,"  was  in  some  way  or  other  overlooked.  I  mentioned 
his  courage  and  readiness  to  Mr.  Marble,  but  I  could  excite  in 
no  one  else  the  same  respect  for  the  poor  fellow's  conduct  that 
I  certainly  felt  myself.  I  have  since  lived  long  enough  to  know 
that  as  the  gold  of  the  rich  attracts  to  itself  the  gold  of  the 
poor,  so  do  the  deeds  of  the  unknown  go  to  swell  the  fame  of 
the  known.  This  is  as  true  of  nations,  and  races,  and  families, 
as  it  is  of  individuals;  poor  Neb  belonging  to  a  proscribed 
color,  it  was  not  in  reason  to  suppose  he  could  ever  acquire 
exactly  the  same  credit  as  a  white  man. 
4 


74  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

"  Them  darkeys  do  sometimes  blunder  on  a  lucky  idee,"  an 
swered  Mr.  Marble  to  one  of  my  earnest  representations,  "  and 
I've  known  chaps  among  'em  that  were  almost  as  knowing  as 
dullish  whites ;  but  every  thing  out  of  the  common  way  with 
'em  is  pretty  much  chance.  As  for  Neb,  however,  I  will  say 
this  for  him :  that,  for  a  nigger,  he  takes  things  quicker  than 
any  of  his  color  I  ever  sailed  with.  Then  he  has  no  sa'ce,  and 
that  is  a  good  deal  with  a  black.  White  sa'ce  is  bad  enough ; 
but  that  of  a  nigger  is  unbearable." 

Alas !  Neb.  Born  in  slavery,  accustomed  to  consider  it  ar 
rogance  to  think  of  receiving  even  his  food  until  the  meanest 
white  had  satisfied  his  appetite,  submissive,  unrepining,  labo 
rious  and  obedient — the  highest  eulogium  that  all  these  patient 
and  unobtrusive  qualities  could  obtain,  was  a  reluctant  acknowl 
edgment  that  he  had  "  no  sa'ce."  His  quickness  and  courage 
saved  the  John,  nevertheless ;  and  I  have  always  said  it,  and 
ever  shall. 

A  day  after  the  affair  of  the  proas,  all  hands  of  us  began  to 
brag.  Even  the  captain  was  a  little  seized  with  this  mania ; 
and,  as  for  Marble,  he  was  taken  so  badly,  that,  had  I  not 
known  he  behaved  well  in  the  emergency,  I  certainly  should 
have  set  him  down  as  a  Bobadil.  Rupert  manifested  this  feel 
ing,  too,  though  I  heard  he  did  his  duty  that  night.  The  result 
of  all  the  talk  was  to  convert  the  affair  into  a  ver  heroic  ex 
ploit  ;  and  it  subsequently  figured  in  the  journals  ao  one  of  the 
deeds  that  illustrate  the  American  name. 

From  the  time  we  were  rid  of  the  proas,  the  ship  got  along 
famously  until  we  were  as  far  west  as  about  52°,  when  the  wind 
came  light  from  the  southward  and  westward,  with  thick  weather. 
The  captain  had  been  two  or  three  times  caught  in  here,  and  he 
took  it  into  his  head  that  the  currents  would  prove  more  fa 
vorable,  could  he  stand  in  closer  to  the  coast  of  Madagascar 
than  common.  Accordingly,  we  brought  the  ship  on  a  bowline, 
and  headed  up  well  to  the  northward  and  westward.  We  were 
a  week  on  this  tack,  making  from  fifty  to  a  hundred  miles  a  da,y, 
expecting  hourly  to  see  the  land.  At  length  we  made  it,  enor- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  75 

mously  high  mountains,  apparently  a  long  distance  from  us, 
though,  as  we  afterward  ascertained,  a  long  distance  inland  ;  and 
we  continued  to  near  it.  The  captain  had  a  theory  of  his  own 
about  the  currents  of  this  part  of  the  ocean,  and,  having  set  one 
of  the  peaks  by  compass,  at  the  time  the  land  was  seen,  he  soon 
convinced  himself,  and  everybody  else  whom  he  tried  tc  per 
suade,  Marble  excepted,  that  we  were  setting  to  windward  with 
visible  speed.  Captain  Robbins  was  a  well-meaning,  but  some 
what  dull  man ;  and,  when  dull  men  become  theorists,  they  usu 
ally  make  sad  work  with  the  practice. 

All  that  night  we  stood  on  to  the  northward  and  westward, 
though  Mr.  Marble  had  ventured  a  remonstrance  concerning  a 
certain  headland  that  was  just  visible,  a  little  on  our  weather- 
bow.  The  captain  snapped  his  fingers  at  this,  however ;  laying 
down  a  course  of  reasoning,  which,  if  it  were  worth  any  thing, 
ought  to  have  convinced  the  mate  that  the  weatherly  set  of  the 
current  would  carry  us  ten  leagues  to  the  southward  and  west 
ward  of  that  cape  before  morning.  On  this  assurance  we  pre 
pared  to  pass  a  quiet  and  comfortable  night. 

I  had  the  morning  watch,  and  when  I  came  on  deck,  at  four, 
there  was  no  change  in  the  weather.  Mr.  Marble  soon  appear 
ed,  and  he  walked  into  the  waist,  where  I  was  leaning  on  the 
weather-rail,  and  fell  into  discourse.  This  he  often  did,  some 
times  so  far  forgetting  the  difference  in  our  stations  afloat — not 
ashore  ;  there  I  had  considerably  the  advantage  of  him — as  oc 
casionally  to  call  me  "  sir."  I  always  paid  for  this  inadvertency, 
however,  it  usually  putting  a  stop  to  the  communications  for  the 
time  being.  In  one  instance  he  took  such  prompt  revenge  for 
this  implied  admission  of  equality,  as  literally  to  break  off  short 
in  the  discourse,  and  to  order  me,  in  his  sharpest  key,  to  go 
aloft  and  send  some  studding-sails  on  deck,  though  they  all  had 
to  be  sent  aloft  again  and  set,  in  the  course  of  the  same  watch. 
But  offended  dignity  is  seldom  considerate,  and  not  always 
consistent. 

"A  quiet  night,  Master  Miles" — this  the  mate  could  call  me, 
as  it  implied  superiority  on  his  part — "  a  quiet  night,  Master 


76  AFLOAT     AND      ASH  ORE. 

Miles,"  commenced  Mr.  Marble,  "  and  a  strong  westerly  current, 
accordin'  to  Captain  Robbins.  Well,  to  my  taste,  gooseberries 
are  better  than  currents,  and  Pd  go  about.  That's  my  mannei 
of  generalizing" 

"  The  captain,  I  suppose,  sir,  from  that,  is  of  a  different 
opinion  ?" 

"Why,  yes,  somewhatish — though  I  don't  think  he  knows 
himself  exactly  what  his  own  opinion  is.  This  is  the  third 
v'y'ge  I've  sailed  with  the  old  gentleman,  and  he  is  half  his 
time  in  a  fog  or  a  current.  Now,  it's  his  idee  the  ocean  is  full 
of  Mississippi  rivers,  and  if  one  could  only  find  the  head  of  a 
stream,  he  might  go  round  the  world  in  it.  More  particularly 
does  he  hold  that  there  is  no  fear  of  the  land  when  in  a  current, 
as  a  stream  never  sets  on  shore.  For  my  part,  I  never  want  any 
better  hand-lead  than  my  nose." 

"  Nose,  Mr.  Marble  ?" 

"  Yes,  nose,  Master  Miles.  Haven't  you  remarked  how  far 
we  smelt  the  Injees,  as  we  went  through  the  islands  ?" 

"  It  is  true,  sir,  the  Spice  Islands,  and  all  land,  they  say" — 

"  What  the  devil's  that  ?"  asked  the  mate,  evidently  startled 
at  something  he  heard,  though  he  appeared  to  smell  nothing, 
unless,  indeed,  it  might  be  a  rat. 

"  It  sounds  like  water  washing  on  rocks,  sir,  as  much  as  any 
thing  I  ever  heard  in  my  life !" 

"  Ready  about !"  shouted  the  mate.  "  Run  down  and  call 
the  captain,  Miles — hard  a-lee — start  everybody  up,  forward." 

A  scene  of  confusion  followed,  in  the  midst  of  which  the  cap 
tain,  second  mate,  and  the  watch  below,  appeared  on  deck. 
Captain  Robbins  took  command,  of  course,  and  was  in  time  to 
haul  the  rafter-yards,  the  ship  coming  round  slowly  in  so  light  a 
wind.  Come  round  she  did,  however,  and,  when  her  head  was 
fairly  to  the  southward  and  eastward,  the  captain  demanded  an 
explanation.  Mr.  Marble  did  not  feel  disposed  to  trust  his  nose 
any  longer,  but  he  invited  the  captain  to  use  his  ears.  This  all 
hands  did,  and,  if  sounds  could  be  trusted,  we  had  a  pretty  lot 
of  breakers  seemingly  all  around  us. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  77 

"  We  surely  can  go  out  the  way  we  came  in,  Mr.  Marble  ?" 
said  the  captain,  anxiously. 

"  Yes,  sir,  if  there  were  no  current;  but  one  never  knows 
where  a  bloody  current  will  carry  him  in  the  dark." 

"  Stand  by  to  let  go  the  anchor !"  cried  the  captain.  "  Let 
run  and  clew  up,  forward  and  aft.  Let  go  as  soon  as  you're 
ready,  Mr.  Kite." 

Luckily,  we  had  kept  a  cable  bent  as  we  came  through  the 
Straits,  and,  not  knowing  but  we  might  touch  at  the  Isle  of 
France,  it  was  still  bent,  with  the  anchor  fished.  We  had 
talked  of  stowing  the  latter  in-board,  but,  having  land  in  sight, 
it  was  not  done.  In  two  minutes  it  was  a-cock-bill,  and,  in 
two  more,  let  go.  None  knew  whether  we  should  find  a  bot 
tom  ;  but  Kite  soon  sang  out  to  "  snub,"  the  anchor  being 
down,  with  only  six  fathoms  out.  The  lead  corroborated  this, 
and  we  had  the  comfortable  assurance  of  being  not  only  among 
breakers,  but  just  near  the  coast.  The  holding-ground,  how 
ever,  was  reported  good,  and  we  went  to  work  and  rolled  up  all 
our  rags.  In  half  an  hour  the  ship  was  snug,  riding  by  the 
stream,  with  a  strong  current,  or  tide,  setting  exactly  north-east, 
or  directly  opposite  to  the  captain's  theory.  As  soon  as  Mr. 
Marble  had  ascertained  this  fact,  I  overheard  him  grumbling 
about  something,  of  which  I  could  distinctly  understand  nothing 
but  the  words  "  bloody  cape — bloody  current." 


78  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 


CHAPTER  V. 

"  They  hurried  us  aboard  a  bark : 
Bore  us  some  leagues  to  sea ;  where  they  prepared 
A  rotten  carcass  of  a  boat,  not  rigg'd, 
Nor  tackle,  sail,  nor  mast:  the  very  rats 
Instinctively  had  girt  us" — 

TKMPKST. 

THE  hour  that  succeeded  in  the  calm  of  expectation,  was  one 
of  the  most  disquieting  of  my  life.  As  soon  as  the  ship  was 
secured,  and  there  no  longer  remained  any  thing  to  do,  the  still 
ness  of  death  reigned  among  us ;  the  faculties  of  every  man 
and  boy  appearing  to  be  absorbed  in  the  single  sense  of  hearing 
— the  best,  and  indeed  the  only,  means  we  then  possessed  of 
judging  of  our  situation.  It  was  now  apparent  that  we  were 
near  some  place  or  places  where  the  surf  was  breaking  on  land ; 
and  the  hollow,  not-to-be-mistaken  bellowings  of  the  element, 
too  plainly  indicated  that  cavities  in  rocks  frequently  received, 
and  as  often  rejected,  the  washing  waters.  Nor  did  these  por 
tentous  sounds  come  from  one  quarter  only,  but  they  seemed  to 
surround  us ;  now  reaching  our  ears  from  the  known  direction 
of  the  land,  now  from,  the  south,  the  north-east,  and,  in  fact, 
from  every  direction.  There  were  instances  when  these  moan- 
ings  of  the  ocean  sounded  as  if  close  under  our  stern,  and  then 
again  they  came  from  some  point  within  a  fearful  proximity  to 
the  bows. 

Happily  the  wind  was  light,  and  the  ship  rode  with  a  mod 
erate  strain  on  the  cable,  so  as  to  relieve  us  from  the  appre 
hension  of  immediate  destruction.  There  was  a  long,  heavy 
ground-swell  rolling  in  from  the  south-west,  but,  the  lead  giving 
us  eight  fathoms,  the  sea  did  not  break  exactly  where  we  lay ; 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  79 

though  the  sullen  washing  that  came  to  our  ears,  from  time  to 
time,  gave  unerring  notice  that  it  was  doing  so  quite  near  us, 
independently  of  the  places  where  it  broke  upon  rocks.  At  one 
time  the  captain's  impatience  was  so  goading,  that  he  had  de 
termined  to  pull  round  the  anchorage  in  a  boat,  in  order  to 
anticipate  the  approach  of  light ;  but  a  suggestion  from  Mr. 
Marble  that  he  might  unconsciously  pull  into  a  roller,  and  cap 
size,  induced  him  to  wait  for  day. 

The  dawn  appeared  at  last,  after  two  or  three  of  the  longest 
hours  I  remember  ever  to  have  passed.  Never  shall  I  forget 
the  species  of  furious  eagerness  with  which  we  gazed  about  us. 
In  the  first  place,  we  got  an  outline  of  the  adjacent  land ;  then, 
as  light  diffused  itself  more  and  more  into  the  atmosphere,  we 
caught  glimpses  of  its  details.  It  was  soon  certain  we  were 
within  a  cable's  length  of  perpendicular  cliffs  of  several  hundred 
feet  in  height,  into  whose  caverns  the  sea  poured  at  times,  pro 
ducing  those  frightful,  hollow  moanings,  that  an  experienced  ear 
can  never  mistake.  This  cliff  extended  for  leagues  in  both  di 
rections,  rendering  drowning  nearly  inevitable  to  the  shipwrecked 
mariner  on  that  inhospitable  coast.  Ahead,  astern,  outside  of 
us,  and  I  might  almost  say  all  around  us,  became  visible,  one 
after  another,  detached  ledges,  breakers  and  ripples ;  so  many 
proofs  of  the  manner  in  which  Providence  had  guided  us 
through  the  hours  of  darkness. 

By  the  time  the  sun  appeared,  for,  happily,  the  day  proved 
bright  and  clear,  we  had  obtained  pretty  tolerable  notions  of 
the  critical  situation  in  which  we  were  placed  \>y+  means  of  the 
captain's  theory  of  currents.  The  very  cape  that  we  were  to 
drift  past,  lay  some  ten  leagues  nearly  dead  to  windward,  as  the 
breeze  then  was ;  while  to  leeward,  far  as  the  eye  could  reach, 
stretched  the  same  inhospitable  barrier  of  rock  as  that  which 
lay  on  our  starboard  quarter  and  beam.  Such  was  my  first  in 
troduction  to  the  island  of  Madagascar ;  a  portion  of  the  world, 
of  which,  considering  its  position,  magnitude  and  productions, 
the  mariners  of  Christendom  probably  know  less  than  of  any 
other.  At  the  time  of  which  I  am  writing,  far  less  had  been 


80  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

learned  of  this  vast  country  than  is  known  to-day,  though  the 
knowledge  of  even  our  own  immediate  contemporaries  is  of  an 
exceedingly  limited  character. 

Now  that  the  day  had  returned,  the  sun  was  shining  on  us 
cheerfully,  and  the  sea  looked  tranquil  and  assuring,  the  captain 
became  more  pacified.  He  had  discretion  enough  to  under 
stand  that  time  and  examination  were  indispensable  to  moving 
the  ship  with  safety ;  and  he  took  the  wise  course  of  ordering 
the  people  to  get  their  breakfasts,  before  he  set  us  at  work. 
The  hour  that  was  thus  employed  forward,  was  passed  aft  in 
examining  the  appearance  of  the  water,  and  the  positions  of  the 
reefs  around  the  ship.  By  the  time  we  were  through,  the  cap 
tain  had  swallowed  his  cup  of  coffee  and  eaten  his  biscuit ;  and, 
calling  away  four  of  the  most  athletic  oarsmen,  he  got  into  the 
jolly-boat,  and  set  out  on  the  all-important  duty  of  discovering 
a  channel  seaward.  The  lead  was  kept  moving,  and  I  shall 
leave  the  party  thus  employed  for  an  hour  or  more,  while  we 
turn  our  attention  in-board. 

Marble  beckoned  me  aft,  as  soon  as  Captain  Robbins  was  in 
the  boat,  apparently  with  a  desire  to  say  something  in  private. 
I  understood  the  meaning  of  his  eye,  and  followed  him  down 
into  the  steerage,  where  all  that  was  left  of  the  ship's  water  was 
now  stowed,  that  on  deck  having  been  already  used.  The  mate 
had  a  certain  consciousness  about  him  that  induced  great  cau 
tion,  and  he  would  not  open  his  lips  until  he  had  rummaged 
about  below  some  time,  affecting  to  look  for  a  set  of  blocks  that 
might  be  wanted  for  some  purpose  or  other,  on  deck.  When 
this  had  lasted  a  little  time,  he  turned  short  round  to  me,  and 
let  out  the  secret  of  the  whole  manoeuvre. 

"I'll  tell  you  what,  Master  Miles,"  he  said,  making  a  sign 
with  a  finger  to  be  cautious,  "  I  look  upon  this  ship's  berth  as 
worse  than  that  of  a  city  scavenger.  We've  plenty  of  water  all 
round  us,  and  plenty  of  rocks,  too.  If  we  knew  the  way  back, 
there  is  no  wind  to  carry  us  through  it,  among  these  bloody 
currents,  and  there's  no  harm  in  getting  ready  for  the  worst. 
So  do  you  get  Neb  and  the  gentleman" — Rupert  was  generally 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  81 

thus  styled  in  the  ship — "  and  clear  away  the  launch  first.  Got 
every  thing  out  of  it  that  don't  belong  there ;  after  which,  do 
you  put  these  breakers  in,  and  wait  for  further  orders.  Make 
no  fuss,  putting  all  upon  orders,  and  leave  the  rest  to  me." 

I  complied,  of  course,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  launch  was 
clear.  While  busy,  however,  Mr.  Kite  came  past,  and  desired  to 
know  "what  are  you  at  there?"  I  told  him  'twas  Mr.  Marble's 
orders,  and  the  latter  gave  his  own  explanation  of  the  matter. 

"  The  launch  may  be  wanted,"  he  said,  "  for  I've  no  notion 
that  jolly-boat  will  do  to  go  out  as  far  as  we  shall  find  it  neces 
sary  to  sound.  So  I  am  about  to  ballast  the  launch,  and  get 
her  sails  ready ;  there's  no  use  in  mincing  matters  in  such  a 
berth  as  this." 

Kite  approved  of  the  idea,  and  even  went  so  far  as  to  suggest 
that  it  might  be  well  enough  to  get  the  launch  into  the  water 
at  once,  by  way  of  saving  time.  The  proposition  was  too 
agreeable  to  be  rejected,  and,  to  own  the  truth,  all  hands  went 
to  work  to  get  up  the  tackles  with  a  will,  as  it  is  called.  In 
half  an  hoiir  the  boat  was  floating  alongside  the  ship.  Some 
said  she  would  certainly  be  wanted  to  carry  out  the  stream- 
anchor,  if  for  nothing  else  ;  .others  observed  that  half  a  dozen 
boats  would  not  be  enough  to  find  all  the  channel  we  wanted  ; 
while  Marble  kept  his  eye,  though  always  in  an  underhand  way, 
on  his  main  object.  The  breakers  we  got  in  and  stowed,  filled 
with  fresh  water,  by  way  of  ballast.  The  masts  were  stepped, 
the  oars  were  put  on  board,  and  a  spare  compass  was  passed 
down,  lest  the  ship  might  be  lost  in  the  thick  weather,  of 
which  there  was  so  much,  just  in  that  quarter  of  the  world.  All 
this  was  said  and  done  so  quietly  that  nobody  took  the  alarm ; 
and  when  the  mate  called  out,  in  a  loud  voice,  "  Miles,  pass  a 
bread-bag  filled  and  some  cold  grub  into  that  launch — the  men 
may  be  hungry  before  they  get  back,"  no  one  seemed  to  think 
more  was  meant  than  Avas  thus  openly  expressed.  I  had  my 
private  orders,  however,  and  managed  to  get  quite  a  hundred 
weight  of  good  cabin  biscuit  into  the  launch,  while  the  cook 
was  directed  to  fill  his  coppers  with  pork,  I  got  some  of  the 
4* 


82  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

latter  raw  into  the  boat,  too ;  raw  pork  being  food  that  sailors 
in  no  mannej-  disdain.  They  say  it  eats  like  chestnuts. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  captain  was  busy  in  his  exploring  ex 
pedition,  on  the  return  from  which  he  appeared  to  think  he  was 
better  rewarded  than  has  certainly  fallen  to  the  lot  of  others 
employed  on  another  expedition  which  bears  the  same  name. 
He  was  absent  near  two  hours,  and,  when  he  got  back,  it 
was  to  renew  his  theory  of  what  Mr.  Marble  called  his  "  bloody 
currents." 

"  I've  got  behind  the  curtain,  Mr.  Marble,"  commenced  Cap 
tain  Bobbins,  before  he  was  fairly  alongside  of  the  ship  again, 
whereupon  Marble  muttered,  "  ay  !  ay !  you've  got  behind  the 
rocks,  too  !"  "  It's  all  owing  to  an  eddy  that  is  made  in-shore 
by  the  main  current,  and  we  have  stretched  a  leetle  too  far  in." 

Even  I  thought  to  myself,  what  would  have  become  of  us  had 
we  stretched  a  leetle  further  in  !  The  captain,  however,  seemed 
satisfied  that  he  could  carry  the  ship  out,  and,  as  this  was  all  we 
wanted,  no  one  was  disposed  to  be  very  critical.  A  word  was 
said  about  the  launch,  which  the  mate  had  ordered  to  be  drop 
ped  astern,  out  of  the  way,  and  the  explanation  seemed  to  mys 
tify  the  captain.  In  the  meanwhile,  the  pork  was  boiling  furi 
ously  in  the  coppers. 

All  hands  were  now  called  to  get  the  anchor  up.  Rupert  and 
I  went  aloft  to  loosen  sails,  and  we  staid  there  until  the  royals 
were  mast-headed.  In  a  very  few  minutes  the  cable  was  up  and 
down,  and  then  came  the  critical  part  of  the  whole  affair.  The 
wind  was  still  very  light,  and  it  was  a  question  whether  the  ship 
could  be  carried  past  a  reef  of  rocks  that  now  began  to  show 
itself  above  water,  and  on  which  the  long,  heavy  rollers,  that 
came  undulating  from  the  south-western  Atlantic,  broke  with  a 
sullen  violence  that  betrayed  how  powerful  was  the  ocean,  even 
in  its  moments  of  slumbering  peacefulness.  The  rising  and 
falling  of  its  surface  was  like  that  of  some  monster's  chest,  as 
he  respired  heavily  in  sleep. 

Even  the  captain  hesitated  about  letting  go  his  hold  of  the 
bottom,  with  so  strong  a  set  of  the  water  to  leeward,  and  in  so 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 


light  a  breeze.  There  was  a  sort  of  bight  on  our  starboard 
bow,  however,  and  Mr.  Marble  suggested  it  might  be  well  to 
sound  in  that  direction,  as  the  water  appeared  smooth  and  deep. 
To  him  it  looked  as  if  there  were  really  an  eddy  in-shore, 
which  might  hawse  the  ship  up  to  windward  six  or  eight  times 
her  length,  and  thus  more  than  meet  the  loss  that  must  infalli 
bly  occur  in  first  casting  her  head  to  seaward.  The  captain  ad 
mitted  the  justice  of  this  suggestion,  and  I  was  one  of  those 
who  were  told  to  go  in  the  jolly-boat  on  this  occasion.  We 
pulled  in  toward  the  cliffs,  and  had  not  gone  fifty  yards  before 
we  struck  an  eddy,  sure  enough,  which  was  quite  as  strong  as 
the  current  in  which  the  ship  lay.  This  was  a  great  advantage, 
and  so  much  the  more,  because  the  water  was  of  sufficient 
depth,  quite  up  to  the  edge  of  the  reef  which  formed  the  bight, 
and  thus  produced  the  change  in  the  direction  of  the  set. 
There  was  plenty  of  room,  too,  to  handle  the  ship  in,  and,  ah1 
things  considered,  the  discovery  was  extremely  fortunate.  In 
the  bottom  of  this  bight  we  should  have  gone  ashore,  the  pre 
vious  night,  had  not  our  ears  been  so  much  better  than  our  noses. 
As  soon  as  certain  of  the  facts,  the  captain  pulled  back  to  the 
ship,  and  gladdened  the  hearts  of  all  on  board  with  the  tidings. 
We  now  manned  the  handspikes  cheerily,  and  began  to  heave. 
I  shall  never  forget  the  impression  made  on  me  by  the  rapid 
drift  of  the  ship,  as  soon  as  the  anchor  was  off  the  bottom,  and 
her  bows  were  cast  in-shore,  in  order  to  fill  the  sails.  The  land 
was  so  near  that  I  noted  this  drift  by  the  rocks,  and  my  heart 
was  fairly  in  my  mouth  for  a  few  seconds.  But  the  John  work 
ed  beautifully,  and  soon  gathered  way.  Her  bows  did  not  strike 
the  eddy,  however,  until  we  got  fearful  evidence  of  the  strength 
of  the  true  current,  which  had  set  us  down  nearly  as  low  as  the 
reef  outside,  to  windward  of  which  it  was  indispensable  for  us  to 
pass.  Marble  saw  all  this,  and  he  whispered  me  to  tell  the  cook 
to  pass  the  pork  into  the  launch  at  once  —  not  to  mind  whether 
it  were  particularly  well  done,  or  not.  I  obeyed,  and  had  to 
tend  the  fore-sheet  myself,  for  my  pains,  when  the  order  was 
given  to  "  ready  about." 


84  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

The  eddy  proved  a  true  friend,  but  it  did  not  carry  us  up 
much  higher  than  the  place  where  we  had  anchored,  when  it 
became  necessary  to  tack.  This  was  done  in  season,  on  account, 
of  our  ignorance  of  all  the  soundings,  and  we  had  soon  got  the 
John's  head  off-shore  again.  Drawing  a  short  distance  ahead, 
the  main-topsail  was  thrown  aback,  and  the  ship  allowed  to 
drift.  In  proper  time,  it  was  filled,  and  we  got  round  once 
more,  looking  into  the  bight.  The  manoeuvre  was  repeated,  and 
this  brought  us  up  fairly  under  the  lee  of  the  reef,  and  just  in 
the  position  we  desired  to  be.  It  was  a  nervous  instant,  I  rnako 
no  doubt,  when  Captain  Robbins  determined  to  trust  the  ship 
in  the  true  current,  and  run  the  gauntlet  of  the  rocks.  The 
passage  across  which  we  had  to  steer,  before  we  could  possibly 
weather  the  nearest  reef,  was  about  a  cable's  length  in  width, 
and  the  wind  would  barely  let  us  lay  high  enough  to  take  it  at 
right  angles.  Then  the  air  was  so  light,  that  I  almost  despaired 
of  our  doing  any  thing. 

Captain  Robbins  put  the  ship  into  the  current  with  great 
judgment.  She  was  kept  a  rap-full  until  near  the  edge  of  the 
eddy,  and  then  her  helm  was  put  nearly  down,  all  at  once. 
But  for  the  current's  acting,  in  one  direction,  on  her  starboard 
bow,  and  the  eddy's  pressing,  in  the  other,  on  the  larboard  quar 
ter,  the  vessel  would  have  been  taken  aback ;  but  these  counter 
acting  forces  brought  her  handsomely  on  her  course  again,  and 
that  in  a  way  to  prevent  her  falling  an  inch  to  leeward. 

Now  came  the  trial.  The  ship  was  kept  a  rap-full,  and  she 
went  steadily  across  the  passage,  favored,  perhaps,  by  a  little 
more  breeze  than  had  blown  most  of  the  morning.  Still,  our 
leeward  set  was  fearful,  and,  as  we  approached  the  reef,  I  gave 
all  up.  Marble  screwed  his  lips  together,  and  his  eyes  never 
turned  from  the  weather-leeches  of  the  sails.  Everybody  ap 
peared  to  me  to  be  holding  his  breath,  as  the  ship  rose  on  the 
long  ground-swells,  sending  slowly  ahead  the  whole  tune.  We 
passed  the  nearest  point  of  the  rocks  on  one  of  the  rounded 
risings  of  the  water,  just  touching  lightly  as  we  glided  by  the 
visible  danger.  The  blow  was  light,  and  gave  little  cause  for 


A  F  L  O  A  T      A  N  D      A  S  II  O  R  E  .  85 

alarm.  Captain  Bobbins  now  caught  Mr.  Marble  by  the  hand, 
and  was  in  the  very  act  of  heartily  shaking  it,  when  the  ship 
came  down  very  much  in  the  manner  that  a  man  unexpectedly 
lights  on  a  stone,  when  he  has  no  idea  of  having  any  thing  within 
two  or  three  yards  of  his  feet.  The  blow  was  tremendous, 
throwing  half  the  crew  down ;  at  the  same  instant,  all  three  of 
the  topmasts  went  to  leeward. 

One  has  some  difficulty  in  giving  a  reader  accurate  notions 
of  the  confusion  of  so  awful  a  scene.  The  motion  of  the  vessel 
was  arrested  suddenly,  as  it  might  be  by  a  wall,  and  the  whole 
fabric  seemed  to  be  shaken  to  dissolution.  The  very  next  roller 
that  came  in,  which  would  have  undulated  in  toward  the  land 
but  for  us,  meeting  with  so  large  a  body  in  its  way,  piled  up 
and  broke  upon  our  decks,  covering  every  thing  with  water. 
At  the  same  time,  the  hull  lifted,  and,  aided  by  wind,  sea  and 
current,  it  set  still  further  on  the  reef,  thumping  in  a  way  to 
break  strong  iron  bolts,  like  so  many  sticks  of  sealing-wax,  and 
cracking  the  solid  live  oak  of  the  floor-timbers  as  if  they  were 
made  of  willow.  The  captain  stood  aghast !  For  one  moment 
despair  was  painfully  depicted  in  his  countenance;  then  he 
recovered  his  self-possession  and  seamanship.  He  gave  the 
order  to  stand  by  to  carry  out  to  windward  the  stream-anchor 
in  the  launch,  and  to  send  a  kedge  to  haul  out  by,  in  the  jolly- 
boat.  Marble  answered  with  the  usual  "  ay,  ay,  sir !"  but  be 
fore  he  sent  us  into  the  boats,  he  ventured  to  suggest  that  the  ship 
had  bilged  already.  He  had  heard  timbers  crack,  about  which 
he  thought  there  could  be  no  mistake.  The  pumps  were  sound 
ed,  and  the  ship  had  seven  feet  water  in  her  hold.  This  had 
made  in  about  ten  minutes.  Still  the  captain  would  not  give 
up.  He  ordered  us  to  commence  throwing  the  teas  overboard, 
in  order  to  ascertain,  if  possible,  the  extent  of  the  injury.  A 
place  was  broken  out  in  the  wake  of  the  main-hatch,  and  a  pas 
sage  was  opened  down  into  the  lower  hold,  where  we  met  the 
water.  In  the  mean  time,  a  South-Sea  man  we  had  picked  up  at 
Canton,  dove  down  under  the  lee  of  the  bilge  of  the  ship.  He 
soon  came  back  and  reported  that  a  piece  of  sharp  rock  had 


86  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORK. 

gone  quite  through  the  planks.  Every  thing  tending  to  cor 
roborate  this,  the  captain  called  a  council  of  all  hands  on  the 
quarter-deck,  to  consult  as  to  further  measures. 

A  merchantman  has  no  claim  on  the  services  of  her  crew  after 
she  is  hopelessly  wrecked.  The  last  have  a  lien  in  law  on  the 
ship  and  cargo  for  their  wages ;  and  it  is  justly  determined 
that  when  this  security  fails,  the  claim  for  services  ends.  It  fol 
lowed,  of  course,  that  as  soon  as  the  John  was  given  over,  we 
were  all  our  own  masters ;  and  hence  the  necessity  for  bringing 
even  Neb  into  the  consultation.  With  a  vessel-of-war  it  would 
have  been  different.  In  such  a  case  the  United  States  pays  for 
the  service,  ship  or  no  ship,  wreck  or  no  wreck ;  and  the  sea 
man  serves  out  his  term  of  enlistment,  be  this  longer  or  shorter. 
Military  discipline  continues  under  all  circumstances. 

Captain  Robbins  could  hardly  speak  when  we  gathered  round 
him  on  the  forecastle,  the  seas  breaking  over  the  quarter-deck  in 
a  way  to  render  that  sanctuary  a  very  uncomfortable  berth.  As 
soon  as  he  could  command  himself,  he  told  us  that  the  ship  was 
hopelessly  lost.  How  it  had  happened,  he  could  not  very  well 
explain  himself,  though  he  ascribed  it  to  the  fact  that  the  cur 
rents  did  not  run  in  the  direction  in  which,  according  to  all 
sound  reasoning,  they  ought  to  run.  This  part  of  the  speech 
was  not  perfectly  lucid,  though,  as  I  understood  our  unfortunate 
captain,  the  laws  of  nature,  owing  to  some  inexplicable  influence, 
had  departed,  in  some  way  or  other,  from  their  ordinary  Averkings 
expressly  to  wreck  the  John.  If  this  were  not  the  meaning  of 
what  he  said,  I  did  not  understand  this  part  of  the  address. 

The  captain  was  much  more  explicit  after  he  got  out  of  the 
current.  He  told  us  that  the  island  of  Bourbon  was  only  about 
four  hundred  miles  from  where  we  then  were,  and  he  thought  it 
possible  to  go  that  distance,  find  some  small  craft,  and  come 
back,  and  still  save  part  of  the  cargo,  the  sails,  anchors,  etc., 
etc.  We  might  make  such  a  trip  of  it  as  would  give  us  all  a 
lift,  in  the  way  of  salvage,  that  might  prove  some  compensation 
for  our  other  losses.  This  sounded  well,  and  it  had  at  least  the 
effect  to  give  us  some  present  object  for  our  exertions ;  it  also 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  87 

made  the  danger  we  all  ran  of  losing  our  lives  less  apparent.  To 
land  on  the  island  of  Madagascar  in  that  day,  was  out  of  the 
question.  The  people  were  then  believed  to  be  far  less  civilized 
than  in  truth  they  were,  and  had  a  particularly  bad  character 
among  manners.  Nothing  remained,  therefore,  but  to  rig  the 
boats,  and  make  immediate  dispositions  for  our  departure. 

Now  it  was  that  we  found  the  advantage  of  the  preparations 
already  made.  Little  remained  to  be  done,  and  that  which  was 
done  was  much  better  done  than  if  we  had  waited  until  the 
wreck  was  half  full  of  water,  and  the  seas  were  combing  in  upon 
her.  The  captain  took  charge  of  the  launch,  putting  Mr.  Mar 
ble,  Rupert,  Neb,  myself,  and  the  cook  into  the  jolly-boat,  with 
orders  to  keep  as  close  as  possible  to  himself.  Both  boats  had 
sails,  and  both  were  so  arranged  as  to  row  in  calms,  or  head 
winds.  We  took  in  rather  more  than  our  share  of  provisions 
and  water,  having  two  skilful  caterers  in  the  chief  mate  and 
cook ;  and,  having  obtained  a  compass,  quadrant,  and  a  chart 
for  our  portion  of  the  indispensables,  all  hands  were  ready  for  a 
start  in  about  two  hours  after  the  ship  had  struck. 

It  was  just  noon  when  we  cast  off  from  the  wreck,  and  stood 
directly  off  the  land.  According  to  our  calculations,  the  wind 
enabled  us  to  run,  with  a  clean  full,  on  our  true  course.  As 
the  boats  drew  out  into  the  ocean,  we  had  abundant  opportuni 
ties  of  discovering  how  many  dangers  we  had  escaped ;  and, 
for  my  own  part,  I  felt  deeply  grateful,  even  then,  as  I  was 
going  out  upon  the  wide  Atlantic  in  a  mere  shell  of  a  boat,  at 
the  mercy  we  had  experienced.  No  sooner  were  we  fairly  in 
deep  water,  than  the  captain  and  mate  had  a  dialogue  on  the 
subject  of  the  currents  again.  Notwithstanding  all  the  difficul 
ties  his  old  theory  had  brought  him  into,  the  former  remained 
of  opinion  that  the  true  current  set  to  windward,  and  that  we 
should  so  find  it  as  soon  as  we  got  a  little  into  the  offing ;  while 
the  mate  was  frank  enough  to  say  he  had  been  of  opinion,  all 
along,  that  it  ran  the  other  way.  The  latter  added  that  Bour 
bon  was  rather  a  small  spot  to  steer  for,  and  it  might  be  better 
to  get  into  its  longitude,  and  then  find  it  by  meridian  observa- 


88  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

tions,  than  to  make  any  more  speculations  about  matters  of 
which  we  knew  nothing. 

The  captain  and  Mr.  Marble  saw  things  differently,  and  we 
kept  away  accordingly,  when  we  ought  to  have  luffed  all  we 
could.  Fortunately  the  weather  continued  moderate,  or  our 
little  boat  would  have  had  a  bad  time  of  it.  We  out-sailed  the 
launch  with  ease,  and  were  forced  to  reef  in  order  not  to  part 
company.  When  the  sun  set,  we  were  more  than  twenty  miles 
from  the  land,  seeing  no  more  of  the  coast,  though  the  moun 
tains  inland  were  still  looming  up  grandly  in  the  distance.  I  con 
fess,  when  night  shut  in  upon  us,  and  I  found  myself  on  the  wide 
ocean,  in  a  boat  much  smaller  than  that  with  which  I  used  to 
navigate  the  Hudson,  running  every  minute  farther  and  farther 
into  the  watery  waste,  I  began  to  think  of  Clawbonny,  and  its 
security,  and  quiet  nights,  and  well-spread  board,  and  comfortable 
beds,  in  a  way  I  had  never  thought  of  either  before.  As  for  food, 
however,  we  were  not  stinted  ;  Mr.  Marble  setting  us  an  exam 
ple  of  using  our  teeth  on  the  half-boiled  pork,  that  did  credit  to 
his  philosophy.  To  do  this  man  justice,  he  seemed  to  think  a 
run  of  four  hundred  miles  in  a  jolly-boat  no  great  matter,  but 
took  every  thing  as  regularly  as  if  still  on  the  deck  of  the  John. 
Each  of  us  got  as  good  a  nap  as  our  cramped  situations  would 
allow. 

The  wind  freshened  in  the  morning,  and  the  sea  began  to 
break.  This  made  it  necessary  to  keep  still  more  away,  to 
prevent  filling  at  times,  or  to  haul  close  up,  which  might  have 
done  equally  well.  But  the  captain  preferred  the  latter  course, 
on  account  of  the  current.  We  had  ticklish  work  of  it,  in  the 
jolly-boat,  more  than  once  that  day,  and  were  compelled  to 
carry  a  whole  sail  in  order  to  keep  up  with  the  launch,  which 
beat  us,  now  the  wind  had  increased.  Marble  was  a  terrible 
fellow  to  carry  on  every  thing,  ship  or  boat,  and  we  kept  our 
station  admirably,  the  two  boats  never  getting  a  cable's  length 
asunder,  and  running  most  of  the  time  within  hail  of  each  oth 
er.  As  night  approached,  however,  a  consultation  was  held  on 
the  subject  of  keeping  in  company.  We  had  now  been  out 


AFLOAT      AND      AS  II  ORE.  89 

thirty  hours,  and  had  made  near  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  by 
our  calculation.  Luckily  the  wind  had  got  to  be  nearly  west, 
and  we  were  running  ahead  famously,  though  it  was  as  much  as 
we  could  do  to  keep  the  jolly-boat  from  filling.  One  hand  was 
kept  bailing  most  of  the  time,  and  sometimes  all  four  of  us 
were  busy.  These  matters  were  talked  over,  and  the  captain 
proposed  abandoning  the  jolly-boat  altogether,  and  to  take  us 
-into  the  launch,  though  there  was  not  much  vacant  space  to 
receive  us.  But  the  mate  resisted  this,  answering  that  he 
thought  he  could  take  care  of  our  boat  a  while  longer,  at  least. 
Accordingly,  the  old  arrangement  was  maintained,  the  party 
endeavoring  to  keep  as  near  together  as  possible. 

About  midnight  it  began  to  blow  in  squalls,  and  two  or  three 
times  we  found  it  necessary  to  take  in  our  sails,  out  oars,  and 
pull  the  boat  head  to  sea,  in  order  to  prevent  her  swamping. 
The  consequence  was,  that  we  lost  sight  of  the  launch,  and, 
though  we  always  kept  away  to  our  course  as  soon  as  the  puffs 
would  allow,  when  the  sun  rose  we  saw  nothing  of  our  late 
companions.  I  have  sometimes  thought  Mr.  Marble  parted 
company  on  purpose,  though  he  seemed  much  concerned  next 
morning  when  he  had  ascertained  the  launch  was  nowhere  to 
be  seen.  After  looking  about  for  an  hour,  and  the  wind  mod 
erating,  we  made  sail  close  on  the  wind ;  a  direction  that  would 
soon  have  taken  us  away  from  the  launch,  had  the  latter  been 
close  alongside  when  we  first  took  it.  We  made  good  progress 
nil  this  day,  and  at  evening,  having  now  been  out  fifty-four 
hours,  we  supposed  ourselves  to  be  rather  more  than  half  way 
on  the  road  to  our  haven.  It  fell  calm  in  the  night,  and  tho 
next  morning  we  got  the  wind  right  aft.  This  gave  us  a  famous 
shove,  for  we  sometimes  made  six  and  seven  knots  in  the  hour. 
The  fair  wind  lasted  thirty  hours,  during  which  time  we  must 
have  made  more  than  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  it  falling  nearly 
calm  about  an  hour  before  dawn,  on  the  morning  of  the  fourth 
day  out.  Everybody  was  anxious  to  see  the  horizon  that  morn 
ing,  and  every  eye  was  turned  to  the  east,  with  intense  expecta 
tion,  as  the  sun  rose.  It  was  in  vain ;  there  was  not  the  least 


90  AFLOAT     AND     ASHORE. 

sign  of  land  visible.  Marble  looked  sadly  disappointed,  but  he 
endeavored  to  cheer  us  up  with  the  hope  of  seeing  the  island 
shortly.  We  were  then  heading  due  east,  with  a  very  light 
breeze  from  the  north-west.  I  happened  to  stand  up  in  the 
boat,  on  a  thwart,  and,  turning  my  face  to  the  southward,  I 
caught  a  glimpse  of  something  that  seemed  like  a  hummock  of 
land  in  that  quarter.  I  saw  it  but  for  an  instant ;  but,  what 
ever  it  was,  I  saw  it  plain  enough.  Mr.  Marble  now  got  on  the 
thwart,  and  looked  in  vain  to  catch  the  same  object.  He  said 
there  was  no  land  in  that  quarter — could  be  none — and  resumed 
his  seat  to  steer  to  the  eastward,  a  little  north.  I  could  not  be 
easy,  however,  but  remained  on  the  thwart  until  the  boat  lifted 
on  a  swell  higher  than  common,  and  then  I  saw  the  brown, 
hazy-looking  spot  on  the  margin  of  the  ocean  again.  My  prot 
estations  now  became  so  earnest,  that  Marble  consented  to 
stand  for  an  hour  in  the  direction  I  pointed  out  to  him.  "  One 
hour,  boy,  I  will  grant  you,  to  shut  your  mouth,"  the  mate  said, 
taking  out  his  watch,  "  and  that  you  need  lay  nothing  to  my 
door  hereafter."  To  make  the  most  of  this  hour,  I  got  my 
companions  at  the  oars,  and  we  all  pulled  with  hearty  good-will. 
So  much  importance  did  I  attach  to  every  fathom  of  distance 
made,  that  we  did  not  rise  from  our  seats  until  the  mate  told  us 
to  stop  rowing,  for  the  hour  was  up.  As  for  himself,  he  had 
not  risen  either,  but  kept  looking  behind  him  to  the  eastward, 
still  hoping  to  see  land  somewhere  in  that  quarter. 

My  heart  beat  violently  as  I  got  upon  the  thwart,  but  there 
lay  my  hazy  object,  now  never  dipping  at  all.  I  shouted 
"  land  ho  !"  Marble  jumped  up  on  a  thwart,  too,  and  no  longer 
disputed  my  word.  It  was  land,  he  admitted,  and  it  must  bo 
the  island  of  Bourbon,  which  we  had  passed  to  the  northward, 
and  must  soon  have  given  a  hopelessly  wide  berth.  We  went  to 
the  oars  again  with  renewed  life,  and  soon  made  the  boat  spin. 
All  that  day  we  kept  rowing,  until  about  five  in  the  afternoon, 
when  we  found  ourselves  within  a  few  leagues  of  the  island  of 
Bourbon,  where  we  were  met  by  a  fresh  breeze  from  the  south 
ward,  and  were  compelled  to  make  sail.  The  wind  was  dead  on 


AFLOAT     AND     AS  II  ORE.  91 

end,  and  we  made  stretches  under  the  lee  of  the  island,  going 
about  as  we  found  the  sea  getting  to  be  too  heavy  for  us,  as  was 
invariably  the  case  whenever  we  got  too  far  east  or  west.  In  a 
word,  a  lee  was  fast  becoming  necessary.  By  ten,  we  were 
within  a  mile  of  the  shore,  but  saw  no  place  where  we  thought 
it  safe  to  attempt  a  landing  in  the  dark ;  a  long,  heavy  sea  set- 
ting  in  round  both  sides  of  the  island,  though  the  water  did 
not  break  much  where  we  remained.  At  length  the  wind  got 
to  be  so  heavy,  that  we  could  not  carry  even  our  sail  double- 
reefed,  and  we  kept  two  oars  pulling  lightly  in,  relieving  each 
other  every  hour.  By  daylight  it  blew  tremendously,  and  glad 
enough  were  we  to  find  a  little  cove  where  it  was  possible  to  get 
ashore.  I  had  then  never  felt  so  grateful  to  Providence  as  I  did 
when  I  got  my  feet  on  terra  firma. 

We  remained  on  the  island  a  week,  hoping  to  see  the  launch 
and  her  crew ;  but  neither  appeared.  Then  we  got  a  passage 
to  the  Isle  of  France,  on  arriving  at  which  place  we  found  the 
late  gale  was  considered  to  have  been  very  serious.  There  was 
no  American  consul  in  the  island,  at  that  time;  and  Mr.  Marble, 
totally  without  credit  or  means,  found  it  impossible  to  obtain  a 
craft  of  any  sort  to  go  to  the  wreck  in.  We  were  without 
money,  too,  and,  a  homeward-bound  Calcutta  vessel  coming  in, 
we  joined  her  to  work  our  passages  home,  Mr.  Marble  as 
dickey,  and  the  rest  of  us  in  the  forecastle.  This  vessel  was 
called  the  Tigris,  and  belonged  to  Philadelphia.  She  was  con 
sidered  one  of  the  best  ships  out  of  America,  and  her  master 
had  a  high  reputation  for  seamanship  and  activity.  He  was  a 
little  man  of  the  name  of  Digges,  and  was  under  thirty  at  the 
time  I  first  knew  him.  He  took  us  on  board  purely  out  of  a 
national  feeling,  for  his  ship  was  strong-handed  without  us, 
having  thirty-two  souls,  all  told,  when  he  received  us  five.  We 
afterward  learned  that  letters  sent  after  the  ship  had  induced 
Captain  Digges  to  get  five  additional  hands  in  Calcutta,  in  order 
to  be  able  to  meet  the  picaroons  that  were  then  beginning  to 
plunder  American  vessels,  even  on  their  own  coast,  under  the 
pretence  of  their  having  violated  certain  regulations  made  by 


92  AFLOAT      AND      ASH  ORE. 

the  two  great  belligerents  of  the  day,  in  Europe.  This  was  just 
the  commencement  of  the  quasi  war  which  broke  out  a  few 
weeks  later  with  France. 

Of  all  these  hostile  symptoms,  however,  I  then  knew  little 
and  cared  less.  Even  Mr.  Marble  had  never  heard  of  them,  and 
we  five  joined  the  Tigris  merely  to  get  passages  home,  without 
entertaining  second  thoughts  of  running  any  risk,  further  than 
the  ordinary  dangers  of  the  seas. 

The  Tigris  sailed  the  day  we  joined  her,  which  was  the  third 
after  we  reached  Mauritius,  and  just  fifteen  days  after  we  had 
left  the  wreck.  We  went  to  sea  with  the  wind  at  the  south 
ward,  and  had  a  good  run  off  the  island,  making  more  than  a 
hundred  miles  that  afternoon  and  in  the  course  of  the  night. 
Next  morning,  early,  I  had  the  watch,  and  an  order  was  given 
to  set  topgallant  studding-sails.  Rupert  and  I  had  got  into  the 
s,ame  watch  on  board  this  vessel,  and  we  both  went  aloft  to 
reeve  the  gear.  I  had  taken  up  the  end  of  the  halyards,  and 
had  reeved  them,  and  had  overhauled  the  end  down,  when,  in 
raising  my  head,  I  saw  two  small  lug-sails  on  the  ocean,  broad 
on  our  weather-bow,  which  I  recognized  in  an  instant  for  those 
of  the  John's  launch.  I  cannot  express  the  feeling  that  came 
over  me  at  that  sight.  I  yelled,  rather  than  shouted,  "  Sail  ho !" 
and  then,  pushing  in,  I  caught  hold  of  a  royal-backstay,  and 
was  on  deck  in  an  instant.  I  believe  I  made  frantic  gestures  to 
windward,  for  Mr.  Marble,  who  had  the  watch,  had  to  shake  me 
sharply  before  I  could  let  the  fact  be  known. 

As  soon  as  Marble  comprehended  me,  and  got  the  bearings 
of  the  boat,  he  hauled  down  all  the  studding-sails,  braced  sharp 
up  on  a  wind,  set  the  mainsail,  and  then  sent  down  a  report  to 
Captain  Digges  for  orders.  Our  new  commander  was  a  humane 
man,  and  having  been  told  our  whole  story,  he  did  not  hesitate 
about  confirming  all  that  had  been  done.  As  the  people  in  the 
launch  had  made  out  the  ship  some  time  before  I  saw  the  boat, 
the  latter  was  running  down  upon  us,  and,  in  about  an  hour, 
the  tiny  sails  were  descried  from  the  deck.  In  less  than  an 
hour  afler  this,  our  main-yard  swung  round,  throwing  the 


AFLOAT      AlfD      ASHORE.  93 

topsail  aback,  and  the  well-known  launch  of  the  John  rounded- 
to  close  under  our  lee ;  a  rope  was  thrown,  and  the  boat  was 
hauled  alongside. 

Everybody  in  the  Tigris  was  shocked  when  we  came  to  get  a 
look  at  the  condition  of  the  strangers.  One  man,  a  powerful 
negro,  lay  dead  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat ;  the  body  having 
been  kept  for  a  dreadful  alternative,  in  the  event  of  his  com 
panions  falling  in  with  no  other  relief.  Three  more  of  the  men 
were  nearly  gone,  and  had  to  be  whipped  on  board  as  so  many 
lifeless  bales  of  goods.  Captain  Robbins  and  Kite,  both  athletic, 
active  men,  resembled  spectres,  their  eyes  standing  out  of  their 
heads  as  if  thrust  from  their  sockets  by  some  internal  foe  ;  and 
when  we  spoke  to  them,  they  all  seemed  unable  to  answer.  It 
was  not  fasting,  or  want  of  food,  that  had  reduced  them  to  this 
state,  so  much  as  want  of  water.  It  is  true,  they  had  no  more 
bread  left  than  would  keep  body  and  soul  together  for  a  few 
hours  longer;  but  of  water  they  had  tasted  not  a  drop  for 
seventy-odd  hours  !  It  appeared  that,  during  the  gale,  they  had 
been  compelled  to  empty  the  breakers  to  lighten  the  boat,  re 
serving  only  one  for  their  immediate  wants.  By  some  mistake, 
the  one  reserved  was  nearly  half  empty  at  the  time  ;  and  Cap 
tain  Robbins  believed  himself  then  so  near  Bourbon,  as  not  to 
go  on  an  allowance  until  it  was  too  late.  In  this  condition  had 
they  been  searching  for  the  island  quite  ten  day%  passing  it,  but 
never  hitting  it.  The  winds  had  not  favored  them,  and,  the  last 
few  days,  the  weather  had  been  such  as  to  admit  of  no  observa 
tion.  Consequently,  they  had  been  as  much  out  of  their  reck 
oning  in  their  latitude  as  in  their  longitude. 

A  gleam  of  intelligence,  and  I  thought  of  pleasure,  shot 
athwart  the  countenance  of  Captain  Robbins,  as  I  helped  him 
over  the  Tigris's  side.  He  saw  I  was  safe.  He  tottered  as  he 
walked,  and  leaned  heavily  on  me  for  support.  I  was  about  to 
lead  him  aft,  but  his  eye  caught  sight  of  a  scuttle-butt,  and  the 
tin-pot  on  its  head.  Thither  he  went,  and  stretched  out  a 
trembling  hand  to  the  vessel.  I  gave  him  the  pot  as  it  was, 
with  about  a  wine-glass  of  water  in  it.  This  he  swallowed  at  a 


94  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

gulp,  and  then  tottered  forward  for  more.  By  this  time  Cap 
tain  Digges  joined  us,  and  gave  the  proper  directions  how  to 
proceed.  All  the  sufferers  had  water  in  small  quantities  given 
them,  and  it  is  wonderful  with  what  expressions  of  delight  they 
received  the  grateful  beverage.  As  soon  as  they  understood  the 
necessity  of  keeping  it  as  long  as  possible  in  their  mouths,  and 
on  their  tongues,  before  swallowing  it,  a  little  did  them  a  great 
deal  of  good.  After  this,  we  gave  them  some  coffee,  the  break 
fast  being  ready,  and  then  a  little  ship's  biscuit  soaked  in  wine. 
By  such  means  every  man  was  saved,  though  it  was  near  a 
month  before  all  were  themselves  again.  As  for  Captain  Rob- 
bins  and  Kite,  they  were  enabled  to  attend  to  duty  by  the  end 
of  a  week,  though  nothing  more  was  exacted  of  them  than  they 
chose  to  perform. 


AFLOAT      \ND     ASHORE.  05 


CHAPTER  VL 

44  The  yesty  waves 
Confound  and  swallow  navigation  up." 

MACBETH. 

POOR  Captain  Bobbins  !  No  sooner  did  he  regain  bis  bodily 
strength  than  he  began  to  endure  the  pain  of  mind  that  was  in 
separable  from  the  loss  of  his  ship.  Marble,  who,  now  that  he 
had  fallen  to  the  humbler  condition  of  a  second  mate,  was  more 
than  usually  disposed  to  be  communicative  with  me,  gave  me  to 
understand  that  our  old  superior  had  at  first  sounded  Captain 
Digges  on  the  subject  of  proceeding  to  the  wreck,  in  order  to 
ascertain  what .  could  l-e  saved ;  but  the  latter  had  soon  con 
vinced  him  that  a  first-rate  Philadelphia  Indiana  an  had  some 
thing  else  to  do  besides  turning  wrecker.  After  a  pretty  broad 
hint  to  this  effect,  the  John,  and  all  that  was  in  her,  were  aban 
doned  to  their  fate.  Marble,  however,  was  of  opinion  that  the 
gale  in  which  the  launch  came  so  near  being  lost,  must  have 
broken  the  ship  entirely  to  pieces,  giving  her  fragments  to  the 
ocean.  We  never  heard  of  her  fate,  or  recovered  a  single  article 
that  belonged  to  her. 

Many  were  the  discussions  between  Captain  Bobbins  and  his 
two  mates,  touching  the  error  in  reckoning  that  had  led  them  so 
far  from  their  course.  In  that  day,  navigation  was  by  no  means 
as  simple  a  thing  as  it  has  since  become.  It  is  true,  lunars  were 
usually  attempted  in  India  and  China'  ships ;  but  this  was  not 
an  every-day  affair,  like  the  present  morning  and  afternoon  ob 
servations  to  obtain  the  time,  and,  by  means  of  the  chronometer, 
the  longitude.  Then  we  had  so  recently  got  clear  of  the  islands, 
as  to  have  no  great  need  of  any  extraordinary  head-work ;  and 
the  "  bloody  currents"  had  acted  their  pleasure  with  us  for  eight 


96  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

or  ten  days  before  the  loss  of  the  ship.  Marble  was  a  very  good 
navigator,  one  of  the  best  I  ever  sailed  with,  in  spite  of  the 
plainness  of  his  exterior  and  his  rough  deportment;  and,  all 
things  considered,  he  treated  his  old  commander  with  great  del 
icacy,  promising  to  do  all  he  could  when  he  got  home  to  clear 
the  matter  up.  As  for  Kite,  he  knew  but  little,  and  had  the 
discretion  to  say  but  little.  This  moderation  rendered  our  pas 
sage  all  the  more  agreeable. 

The  Tigris  was  a  very  fast  ship,  besides  being  well  found. 
She  was  a  little  larger  than  the  John,  and  mounted  twelve  guns, 
nine-pounders.  In  consequence  of  the  additions  made  to  her 
crew,  one  way  and  another,  she  now  mustered  nearer  fifty  than 
forty  souls  on  board.  Captain  Digges  had  certain  martial  tastes, 
and,  long  before  we  were  up  with  the  cape,  he  had  us  all  quar 
tered  and  exercised  at  the  guns.  He,  too,  had  had  an  affair 
with  some  proas,  and  he  loved  to  converse  of  the  thrashing  he 
had  given  the  rascals.  I  thought  he  envied  us  our  exploit, 
though  this  might  have  been  mere  imagination  on  my  part,  for 
he  was  liberal  enough  in  his  commendations.  The  private  in 
telligence  he  had  received  of  the  relations  between  France  and 
America  quickened  his  natural  impulses ;  and,  by  the  time  we 
reached  St.  Helena,  the  ship  might  have  been  said  to  be  in 
good  fighting  order  for  a  merchantman.  We  touched  at  this 
last-mentioned  island  for  supplies,  but  obtained  no  news  of  any 
interest.  Those  who  supplied  the  ship  could  tell  us  nothing 
but  the  names  of  the  Indiamen  who  had  gone  out  and  home 
for  the  last  twelvemonth,  and  the  prices  of  fresh  meat  and  vege 
tables.  Napoleon  civilized  them  seventeen  years  later. 

We  had  a  good  run  from  St.  Helena  to  the  calm  latitudes,  but 
these  last  proved  calmer  than  common.  We  worried  through 
them  after  awhile,  however,  and  then  did  very  well  until  we 
got  in  the  latitude  of  the  Windward  Islands.  Marble  one  day 
remarked  to  me  that  Captain  Digges  was  standing  closer  to  the 
French  island  of  Guadaloupe  than  was  at  all  necessary  or  pru 
dent,  if  he  believed  in  his  own  reports  of  the  danger  there  exist 
ed  to  American  commerce  in  this  quarter  of  the  ocean. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  97 

I  have  lived  long  enough,  and  have  seen  too  much,  of  men 
and  things  to  fancy  my  country  and  countrymen  right  in  all  their 
transactions,  merely  because  newspapers,  members  of  Congress, 
and  Fourth  of  July  orators  are  pleased  to  affirm  the  doctrine.  No 
one  can  go  much  to  sea  without  reading  with  great  distrust 
many  of  the  accounts  in  the  journals  of  that  day,  of  the  grievous 
wrongs  done  the  commerce  of  America  by  the  authorities  of 
this  or  that  port,  the  seizure  of  such  a  ship,  or  the  imprisonment 
of  some  particular  set  of  officers  and  men.  As  a  rule,  it  is  safer 
to  assume  that  the  afflicted  parties  deserve  all  that  has  happen 
ed  to  them,  than  to  believe  them  immaculate ;  and  quite  likely 
much  more,  too.  The  habit  of  receiving  such  appeals  to  their 
sympathies  renders  the  good  people  of  the  republic  peculiarly 
liable  to  impositions  of  this  nature ;  and  the  mother  who  en 
courages  those  of  her  children  who  fetch  and  carry  will  be  cer 
tain  to  have  her  ears  filled  with  complaints  and  tattle.  Never 
theless,  it  is  a  fact  beyond  all  dispute  that  the  commerce  of  the 
country  was  terribly  depredated  on  by  nearly  all  the  European 
belligerents  between  the  commencement  of  the  war  of  the 
French  Revolution  and  its  close.  So  enormous  were  the  rob 
beries  thus  committed  on  the  widely-extended  trade  of  this  na 
tion,  under  one  pretence  or  another,  as  to  give  a  coloring  of 
retributive  justice,  if  not  of  moral  right,  to  the  recent  failures 
of  certain  states  among  us  to  pay  their  debts.  Providence 
singularly  avenges  all  wrongs  by  its  unerring  course ;  and  I 
doubt  not,  if  the  facts  could  be  sifted  to  the  bottom,  it  would  be 
found  the  devil  was  not  permitted  to  do  his  work  in  either  case 
without  using  materials  supplied  by  the  sufferers  in  some  direct 
or  indirect  manner  themselves.  Of  all  the  depredations  on  Amer 
ican  trade  just  mentioned,  those  of  the  great  sister  republic,  at 
the  close  of  the  last  century,  were  among  the  most  grievous, 
and  were  of  a  character  so  atrocious  and  bold,  that  I  confess  it 
militates  somewhat  against  my  theory  to  admit  that  France 
owns  very  little  of  the  "  suspended  debt ;"  but  I  account  for  this 
last  circumstance  by  the  reparation  she  in  part  made  by  the 
treaty  of  1831.  With  England  it  is  different.  She  drove  us 
5 


98  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

into  a  war  by  the  effects  of  her  orders  in  council  and  paper 
blockades,  and  compelled  us  to  expend  a  hundred  millions  to  set 
matters  right.  I  should  like  to  see  the  books  balanced,  not  by 
the  devil,  who  equally  instigated  the  robberies  on  the  high  seas, 
and  the  "  suspension"  or  "  repudiation"  of  the  state  debts  ;  but 
by  the  great  Accountant  who  keeps  a  record  of  all  our  deeds  of 
this  nature,  whether  it  be  to  take  money  by  means  of  cruising 
ships,  or  cruising  scrip.  It  is  true  these  rovers  encountered 
very  differently-looking  victims  in  the  first  place;  but  it  is  a 
somewhat  trite  remark,  that  the  aggregate  of  human  beings  is 
pretty  much  the  same  in  all  situations.  There  were  widows  and 
orphans  as  much  connected  with  the  condemnation  of  prizes,  as 
with  fciie  prices  of  condemned  stock  ;  and  I  do  not  see  that  fraud 
is  any  worse  when  carried  on  by  scriveners  and  clerks  with  quills 
behind  their  ears  than  when  carried  on  by  gentlemen  wearing 
cocked  hats  and  carrying  swords  by  their  sides.  On  the  whole, 
I  am  far  from  certain  that  the  account-current  of  honesty  is  not 
slightly — honesty  very  slightly  leavens  either  transaction — in 
favor  of  the  non-paying  states,  as  men  do  sometimes  borrow 
with  good  intentions,  and  fail,  from  inability,  to  pay ;  whereas, 
in  the  whole  course  of  my  experience,  I  never  knew  a  captor  of 
a  ship  who  intended  to  give  back  any  of  the  prize-money  if  he 
could  help  it.  But  to  return  to  my  adventures. 

We  were  exactly  in  the  latitude  of  Guadaloupc,  with  the 
usual  breeze,  when,  at  daylight,  a  rakish-looking  brig  was  seen 
in  chase.  Captain  Digges  took  a  long  survey  of  the  stranger 
with  his  best  glass — one  that  was  never  exhibited  but  on  state 
occasions — and  then  he  pronounced  him  to  be  a  French  cruiser ; 
most  probably  a  privateer.  That  he  was  a  Frenchman,  Maible 
affirmed,  was  apparent  by  the  height  of  his  topmasts  and  the 
shortness  of  his  yards ;  the  upper  spars  in  particular,  being  mere 
apologies  for  yards.  Everybody  who  had  any  right  to  an  opin 
ion,  was  satisfied  the  brig  was  a  French  cruiser,  either  public 
or  private. 

The  Tigris  was  a  fast  ship,  and  she  was  under  topmast  and 
topgallant  studding-sails  at  the  time,  going  about  seven  knots. 


AFLOAT      AND      A  S  :i  (J  U  E .  99 

The  brig  was  on  an  easy  bowline,  evidently  looking  up  for  om 
wake,  edging  oft' gradually  as  we  drew  ahoad.  She  went  about 
nine  knots,  and  bade  fair  to  close  with  us  by  noon.  There  was 
a  good  deal  of  doubt,  aft,  as  to  the  course  we  ought  to  pursue. 
It  was  decided  in  the  end,  however,  to  shorten  sail  and  let  the 
brig  come  up,  as  being  less  subject  to  cavils,  than  to  seem  to 
avoid  her.  Captain  Digges  got  out  his  last  letters  from  home, 
and  I  saw  him  showing  them  to  Captain  Robbins,  the  two  con 
ning  them  over  with  great  earnestness.  I  was  sent  to  do  some- 
duty  near  the  hen-coops,  where  they  were  sitting,  and  overheard 
a  part  of  their  conversation.  From  the  discourse,  I  gathered 
that,  the  proceedings  of  these  picaroons  were  often  equivocal, 
and  that  Americans  were  generally  left  in  doubt,  until  a  %yor- 
able  moment  occurred  for  the  semi-pirates  to  effect  their  pur 
poses.  The  party  assailed  did  not  know  when  or  how  to  defend 
himself,  until  it  was  too  late. 

"  These  chaps  come  aboard  you,  sometimes,  before  you're 
aware  of  what  they  are  about,"  observed  Captain  Robbins.  ' 

"  I'll  not  be  taken  by  surprise  in  that  fashion,"  returned 
Digges,  after  a  moment  of  reflection.  "  Here,  you  Miles,  go 
forward  and  tell  the  cook  to  fill  his  coppers  with  water,  and  to 
set  it  boiling  as  fast  as  he  can ;  and  tell  Mr.  Marble  I  want  him 
aft.  Bear  a  hand,  now,  youngster,  and  give  them  a  lift  yourself." 

Of  course  I  obeyed,  wondering  what  the  captain  wanted  with 
so  much  hot  water  as  to  let  the  people  eat  their  dinners  oft'  cold 
grub,  rather  than  dispense  with  it ;  for  this  was  a  consequence 
of  his  decree.  But  we  had  not  got  the  coppers  half  filled,  be 
fore  I  saw  Mr.  Marble  and  Neb  lowering  a  small  ship's  engine 
from  the  launch,  and  placing  it  near  the  galley,  in  readiness  to 
be  filled.  The  mate  told  Neb  to  screw  on  the  pipe,  and  then 
half  a  dozen  of  the  men,  as  soon  as  we  got  through  with  the 
coppers,  were  told  to  fill  the  engine  with  sea  water.  Captain 
Digges  now  came  forward  to  superintend  the  exercise,  and  Neb 
jumped  on  the  engine,  flourishing  the  pipe  about  with  the  de 
light  of  a  "  nigger."  The  captain  was  diverted  with  the  black's 
zeal,  and  he  appointed  him  captain  of  the  firemen  on  the  spot. 


100  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

"  Now,  let  us  see  what  you  can  do  at  that  forward  dead-eye, 
darkey,"  said  Captain  Digges,  laughing.  "  Take  it  directly  on 
the  strap.  Play  away,  boys,  and  let  Neb  try  his  hand." 

It  happened  that  Neb  hit  the  dead-eye  at  the  first  jet,  and  he 
showed  great  readiness  in  turning  the  stream  from  point  to 
point,  as  ordered.  Neb's  conduct  on  the  night  of  the  affair 
with  the  proas  had  been  told  to  Captain  Digges,  who  was  so 
well  pleased  with  the  fellow's  present  dexterity,  as  to  confirm 
him  in  office.  He  was  told  to  stick  by  the  engine  at  every 
hazard.  Soon  after,  an  order  was  given  to  clear  for  action. 
This  had  an  ominous  sound  to  my  young  ears,  and,  though  I 
have  no  reason  to  suppose  myself  deficient  in  firmness,  I  confess 
1  began  to  think  again  of  Clawbonny,  and  Grace,  and  Lucy ;  ay, 
and  even  of  the  mill.  This  lasted  but  for  a  moment,  however, 
and,  as  soon  as  I  got  at  work,  the  feeling  gave  me  no  trouble. 
We  were  an  hour  getting  the  ship  ready,  and,  -by  that  time,  the 
brig  was  within  half  a  mile,  luffing  fairly  up  on  our  lee-quarter. 
As  we  had  shortened  sail,  the  privateer  manifested  no  intention 
of  throwing  a  shot  to  make  us  heave-to.  She  seemed  disposed 
to  extend  courtesy  for  courtesy. 

The  next  order  was  for  all  hands  to  go  to  quarters.  I  was 
stationed  in  the  main-top,  and  Rupert  in  the  fore.  Our  duties 
were  to  do  light  work,  in  the  way  of  repairing  damages ;  and 
the  captain,  understanding  that  we  were  both  accustomed  to 
fire-arms,  gave  us  a  musket  apiece,  with  orders  to  blaze  away 
as  soon  as  they  began  the  work  below.  As  we  had  both  stood 
fire  once,  we  thought  ourselves  veterans,  and  proceeded  to  our 
stations,  smiling  and  nodding  to  each  other  as  wo  went  up  the 
rigging.  Of  the  two,  my  station  was  the  best,  since  I  could  see 
the  approach  of  the  brig,  the  mizzen-topsail  offering  but  little 
obstruction  to  vision  after  she  got  near ;  whereas  the  main-top 
sail  was  a  perfect  curtain,  so  far  as  poor  Rupert  was  concerned. 
In  the  way  of  danger,  there  was  not  much  difference  as  to  any 
of  the  stations  on  board,  the  bulwarks  of  the  ship  being  little 
more  than  plank  that  would  hardly  stop  a  musket-ball ;  and 
then  the  French  had  a  reputation  for  firing  into  the  rigging. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  101 

As  soon  as  all  was  ready,  the  captain  sternly  ordered  silence. 
By  this  time  the  brig  was  near  enough  to  hail.  I  could  sec  her 
decks  quite  plainly,  and  they  were  filled  with  men.  I  counted 
her  guns,  too,  and  ascertained  she  had  but  ten,  all  of  which 
seemed  to  be  lighter  than  our  own.  One  circumstance  that  I 
observed,  however,  was  suspicious.  Her  forecastle  was  crowded 
with  men,  who  appeared  to  be  crouching  behind  the  bulwarks, 
as  if  anxious  to  conceal  their  presence  from  the  eyes  of  those  in 
the  Tigris.  I  had  a  mind  to  jump  on  a  backstay  and  slip  down 
on  deck,  to  let  this  threatening  appearance  be  known ;  but  I 
had  heard  some  sayings  touching  the  imperative  duty  of  remain 
ing  at  quarters  in  face  of  the  enemy,  and  I  did  not  like  to  desert 
my  station.  Tyros  have  always  exaggerated  notions  both  of 
their  rights  and  their  duties,  and  I  had  not  escaped  the  weak 
ness.  Still,  I  think  some  credit  is  due  for  the  alternative 
adopted.  During  the  whole  voyage,  I  had  kept  a  reckoning, 
and  paper  and  pencil  were  always  in  my  pocket,  in  readiness  to 
catch  a  moment  to  finish  a  day's  work.  I  wrote  as  follows  on 
a  piece  of  paper,  therefore,  as  fast  as  possible,  and  dropped  the 
billet  on  the  quarter-deck,  by  enclosing  a  copper  in  the  scrawl, 
cents  then  being  in  their  infancy.  I  had  merely  written,  "  The 
brig's  forecastle  is  filled  with  armed  men  hid  behind  the  bul 
warks  !"  Captain  Digges  heard  the  fall  of  the  copper,  and  look 
ing  up — nothing  takes  an  officer's  eyes  aloft  quicker  than  to 
find  any  thing  coming  out  of  a  top ! — he  saw  me  pointing  to 
the  paper.  I  was  rewarded  for  this  liberty  by  an  approving 
nod.  Captain  Digges  read  what  I  had  written,  and  I  soon  ob 
served  Neb  and  the  cook  filling  the  engine  with  boiling  water. 
This  job  was  no  sooner  done  than  a  good  place  was  selected  on 
the  quarter-deck  for  this  singular  implement  of  war,  and  then  a 
hail  came  from  the  brig. 

"  Vat  zat  sheep  is  ?"  demanded  some  one  from  the  brig. 

"  The  Tigris  of  Philadelphia,  from  Calcutta  home.     What  brig 

is  that  r 

"  La  Folie — corsair  Francais.     From  vair  you  come  ?" 
"  From  Calcutta.     And  where  are  you  from  ?" 


102  AFLOAT      AND      A8HOKE. 

"  Guadaloupe.     Vair  you  go,  eh  ?" 

"  Philadelphia.  Do  not  luff  so  near  me ;  some  accident  may 
happen." 

"Vat  you  call  '•accident?'1  Can  n,evair  hear,  eh?  I  will 
come  tout  pres." 

"  Give  us  a  wider  berth,  I  tell  you !  Here  is  your  jib-boom 
nearly  foul  of  my  mizzen-rigging." 

"  Vat  mean  zat,  bert'  vidair  ?  eh !  Allans,  mes  enfants,  Jest 
le  moment/" 

"  Luff  a  little,  and  keep  his  spar  clear,"  cried  our  captain. 
"  Squirt  away,  Neb,  and  let  us  see  what  you  can  do !" 

The  engine  made  a  movement,  just  as  the  French  began  to 
run  out  on  their  bowsprit,  and,  by  the  time  six  or  eight  were  on 
the  heel  of  the  jib-boom,  they  were  met  by  the  hissing  hot 
stream,  which  took  them  en  echelon,  as  it  might  be,  fairly  raking 
the  whole  line.  The  effect  was  instantaneous.  Physical  nature 
cannot  stand  excessive  heat,  unless  particularly  well  supplied 
with  skin ;  and  the  three  leading  Frenchmen,  finding  retreat 
impossible,  dropped  incontinently  into  the  sea,  preferring  cold 
water  to  hot — the  chances  of  drowning,  to  the  certainty  of  being 
scalded.  I  believe  all  three  were  saved  by  their  companions  in 
board,  but  I  will  not  vouch  for  the  fact.  The  remainder  of  the 
intended  boarders,  having  the  bowsprit  before  them,  scrambled 
back  upon  the  brig's  forecastle  as  well  as  they  could,  betraying, 
by  the  random  way  in  which  their  hands  flew  about,  that  they 
had  a  perfect  consciousness  how  much  they  left  their  rear  ex 
posed  on  the  retreat.  A  hearty  laugh  was  heard  in  all  parts  of 
the  Tigris,  and  the  brig,  putting  her  helm  hard  up,  wore  round 
like  a  top,  as  if  she  were  scalded  herself.* 

We  all  expected  a  broadside  now ;  but  of  that  there  was  little 
apprehension,  as  it  was  pretty  certain  we  earned  the  heaviest 
battery,  and  had  men  enough  to  work  it.  But  the  brig  did  not 
fire,  I  suppose,  because  we  fell  off  a  little  ourselves,  and  she  per 
ceived  it  might  prove  a  losing  game.  On  the  contrary,  she 
went  quite  round  on  her  heel,  hauling  up  on  the  other  tack  far 

*  Thii  Incident  actually  occurred  In  the  war  of  179S. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  103 

enough  to  bring  the  two  vessels  exactly  dos  a  dos.  Captain 
Digges  ordered  two  of  the  quarter-deck  nines  to  be  run  out  of 
the  stern-ports ;  and  it  was  well  he  did,  for  it  was  not  in  nature 
for  men  to  be  treated  as  our  friends  in  the  brig  had  been  served, 
without  manifesting  certain  signs  of  ill-humor.  The  vessels 
might  have  been  three  cables'  lengths  asunder  when  we  got  a 
gun.  The  first  I  knew  of  a  shot  was  to  hear  it  plunge  through 
the  mizzen-topsail,  then  it  came  whistling  through  my  top,  be 
tween  the  weather-rigging  and  the  mast-head,  cutting  a  hole 
through  the  main-topsail,  and,  proceeding  onward,  I  heard  it 
strike  something  more  solid  than  canvas.  I  thought  of  Rupert 
and  the  fore-top  in  an  instant,  and  looked  anxiously  down  on 
deck  to  ascertain  if  he  were  injured. 

"  Fore-top,  there  !"  called  but  Captain  Digges.  "  Where  did 
that  shot  strike  ?" 

"  In  the  mast-head,"  answered  Rupert,  in  a  clear,  firm  voice. 
"  It  has  done  no  damage,  sir." 

"  Now's  your  time,  Captain  Robbins — give  'em  a  reminder." 

Both  our  nines  were  fired,  and,  a  few  seconds  after,  three 
cheers  arose  from  the  decks  of  our  ship.  I  could  not  see  the 
brig,  now,  for  the  mizzen-topsail ;  but  I  afterward  learned  that 
we  had  shot  away  her  gaff.  This  terminated  the  combat,  in 
which  the  glory  was  acquired  principally  by  Neb.  They  told 
me,  when  I  got  down  among  the  people  again,  that  the  black's 
face  had  been  dilated  with  delight  the  whole  time,  though  he 
stood  fairly  exposed  to  musketry,  his  mouth  grinning  from  ear 
to  ear.  Neb  was  justly  elated  with  the  success  that  attended 
this  exhibition  of  his  skill,  and  described  the  retreat  of  our  ene 
mies  with  a  humor  and  relish  that  raised  many  a  laugh  at  the 
iHscomfited  privateersman.  It  is  certain  that  some  of  the  fel 
lows  must  have  been  nearly  parboiled. 

I  have  always  supposed  this  affair  between  la  Folie  and  the 
Tigris  to  have  been  the  actual  commencement  of  hostilities 
in  the  quasi  war  of  1798-9  and  1800.  Other  occurrences 
soon  supplanted  it  in  the  public  mind ;  but  we  of  the  ship 
never  ceased  to  regard  the  adventure  as  one  of  great  national 


104  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

interest.  It  did  prove  to  be  a  nine  days'  wonder  in  the  news 
papers. 

From  this  time,  nothing  worthy  of  being  noted  occurred,  until 
we  reached  the  coast.  We  had  got  as  high  as  the  capes  of 
Virginia,  and  were  running  in  for  the  land,  with  a  fair  wind, 
when  we  made  a  ship  in-shore  of  us.  The  stranger  hauled  up 
to  speak  us  as  soon  as  we  were  seen.  There  was  a  good  deal 
of  discussion  about  this  vessel,  as  she  drew  near,  between  Cap 
tain  Digges  and  his  chief  mate.  The  latter  said  he  knew  the 
vessel,  and  that  it  was  an  Indiaman  out  of  Philadelphia,  called 
the  Ganges,  a  sort  of  sister  craft  to  our  own  ship ;  while  the 
former  maintained,  if  it  were  the  Ganges  at  all,  she  was  so  alter 
ed  as  scarcely  to  be  recognized.  As  we  got  near,  the  stranger 
threw  a  shot  under  our  fore-foot,  and  showed  an  American  pen 
nant  and  ensign.  Getting  a  better  look  at  her,  we  got  so  many 
signs  of  a  vessel-of-war  in  our  neighbor,  as  to  think  it  wisest  to 
heave-to,  when  the  other  vessel  passed  under  our  stern,  tacked, 
and  lay  with  her  head-yards  aback,  a  little  on  our  weather- 
quarter.  As  she  drew  to  windward,  we  saw  her  stern,  which 
had  certain  national  emblems,  but  no  name  on  it.  This  settled 
the  matter.  She  was  a  man-of-war,  and  she  carried  the  Ameri 
can  flag  !  Such  a  thing  did  not  exist  a  few  months  before,  when 
we  left  home,  and  Captain  Digges  was  burning  with  impatience 
to  know  more.  He  was  soon  gratified. 

"  Is  not  that  the  Tigris  ?"  demanded  a  voice,  through  a 
trumpet,  from  the  stranger. 

"  Ay,  ay  !     What  ship  is  that «" 

"The  United  States  Ship  Ganges,  Captain  Dale;  from  tLe 
capes  of  the  Delaware,  bound  on  a  cruise.  You're  welcome 
home,  Captain  Digges;  we  may  want  some  of  your  assistance 
under  a  cockade." 

Digges  gave  a  long  whistle,  and  then  the  mystery  was  out. 
This  proved  to  be  the  Ganges,  as  stated,  an  Indiaman  bought 
into  a  new  navy,  and  the  first  ship-of-war  ever  sent  to  sea  under 
the  government  of  the  country,  as  it  had  existed  since  the 
adoption  of  the  Constitution,  nine  years  before.  The  privateers 


AJLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  105 

of  France  had  driven  the  republic  into  an  armament,  and  ships 
were  fitting  out  in  considerable  numbers;  some  being  purchased, 
like  the  Ganges,  and  others  built  expressly  for  the  new  marine. 
Captain  Digges  went  on  board  the  Ganges,  and,  pulling  an  oar 
in  his  boat,  I  had  a  chance  of  seeing  that  vessel  also.  Captain 
Dale,  a  compact,  strongly-built,  seaman-like  looking  man,  in  a 
blue  and  white  uniform,  received  our  skipper  with  a  cordial 
shake  of  the  hand,  for  they  had  once  sailed  together,  and  he 
laughed  heartily  when  he  heard  the  story  of  the  boarding-party 
and  the  hot  water.  This  respectable  officer  had  no  braggadocia 
about  him,  but  he  intimated  that  it  would  not  be  long,  as  he 
thought,  before  the  rovers  among  the  islands  would  have  their 
hands  full.  Congress  was  in  earnest,  and  the  whole  country  was 
fairly  aroused.  Whenever  that  happens  in  America,  it  is  usually 
to  take  a  new  and  better  direction  than  to  follow  the  ordinary 
blind  impulses  of  popular  feelings.  In  countries  where  the 
masses  count  for  nothing,  in  the  every-day  working  of  their 
systems,  excitement  has  a  tendency  to  democracy ;  but,  among 
ourselves,  I  think  the  effect  of  such  a  condition  of  things  is  to 
bring  into  action  men  and  qualities  that  are  commonly  of  little 
account,  and  to  elevate,  instead  of  depressing,  public  sentiment. 

I  was  extremely  pleased  with  the  manly,  benevolent  counte 
nance  of  Captain  Dale,  and  had  half  a  desire  to  ask  leave  to  join 
his  ship  on  the  spot.  If  that  impulse  had  been  followed,  it  is 
probable  my  future  life  would  have  been  very  different  from 
what  it  subsequently  proved.  I  should  have  been  rated  a  mid 
shipman,  of  course ;  and,  serving  so  early,  with  a  good  deal  of 
experience  already  in  ships,  a  year  or  two  would  have  made  me 
a  lieutenant,  and,  could  I  have  survived  the  pruning  of  1801,  I 
should  now  have  been  one  of  the  oldest  officers  in  the  service. 
Providence  directed  otherwise ;  and  how  much  was  lost,  or  how 
much  gained,  by  my  continuance  in  the  Tigris,  the  reader  will 
learn  as  we  proceed. 

As  soon  as  Captain  Digges  had  taken  a  glass  or  two  of  wine 
with  his  old  acquaintance,  we  returned  to  our  own  ship,  and  the 
two  vessels  made  sail ;  the  Ganges  standing  off  to  the  north- 
5* 


106  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

ward  and  eastward,  while  we  ran  in  fur  the  capes  of  the  Dela 
ware.  We  got  in  under  Cape  May,  or  within  five  miles  of  it, 
the  same  evening,  when  it  fell  nearly  calm.  A  pilot  came  off 
from  the  cape  in  a  row-boat,  and  he  reached  us  just  at  dark. 
Captain  Robbins  now  became  all  impatience  to  land,  as  it  was 
of  importance  to  him  to  be  the  bearer  of  his  own  bad  news. 
Accordingly,  an  arrangement  having  been  made  with  the  two 
men  who  belonged  to  the  shore-boat,  our  old  commander,  Ru 
pert  and  myself,  prepared  to  leave  the  ship,  late  as  it  was.  We 
two  lads  were  taken  for  the  purpose  of  manning  two  additional 
oais,  but  were  to  rejoin  the  ship  in  the  bay,  if  possible  ;  if  not, 
up  at  town.  One  of  the  inducements  of  Captain  Robbins  to  be 
off,  was  the  signs  of  northerly  weather.  It  had  begun  to  blow 
a  little  in  puffs  from  the  north-west ;  and  everybody  knew,  if  it 
came  on  to  blow  seriously  from  that  quarter,  the  ship  might  be 
a  week  in  getting  up  the  river,  her  news  being  certain  to  precede 
her.  We  hurried  off  accordingly,  taking  nothing  with  us  but  a 
change  of  linen,  and  a  few  necessary  papers. 

We  got  the  first  real  blast  from  the  north-west  in  less  than 
five  minutes  after  we  had  quitted  the  Tigris's  side,  and  while 
the  ship  was  still  visible,  or,  rather,  while  we  could  yet  sec  the 
lights  in  her  cabin  windows,  as  she  fell  off  before  the  wind. 
Presently  the  lights  disappeared,  owing,  no  doubt,  to  the  ship's 
luffing  again.  The  symptoms  now  looked  so  threatening,  that 
the  pilot's  men  proposed  making  an  effort,  before  it  was  too 
late,  to  find  the  ship ;  but  this  was  far  easier  said  than  done. 
The  vessel  might  be  spinning  away  toward  Cape  Henlopen,  at 
the  rate  of  six  or  seven  knots ;  and,  without  the  means  of 
making  any  signal  in  the  dark,  it  was  impossible  to  overtake 
her.  I  do  believe  that  Captain  Robbins  would  have  acceded  to 
the  request  of  the  men,  had  he  seen  any  probability  of  succeed 
ing  ;  as  it  was,  there  remained  no  alternative  but  to  pull  in,  and 
endeavor  to  reach  the  land.  We  had  the  light  on  the  cape  as 
our  beacon,  and  the  boat's  head  was  kept  directly  for  it,  as  the 
wisest  course  for  us  to  pursue. 

Changes  of  wind  from  south-east  to  north-west  are  very  com 


A.FJLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  107 

mon  on  the  American  coast.  They  are  almost  always  sudden  ; 
sometimes  so  much  so,  as  to  take  ships  aback ;  and  the  force 
of  the  breeze  usually  comes  so  early,  as  to  have  produced  the 
saying  that  a  "  nor'-wester  comes  butt-end  foremost."  Such 
proved  to  be  the  fact  in  our  case.  In  less  than  half  an  hour  after 
it  began  to  blow,  the  wind  would  have  brought  the  most  gal 
lant  ship  that  floated  to  double-reefed  topsails,  steering  by,  and 
to  reasonably  short  canvas,  running  large.  We  may  have  pulled 
a  mile  in  this  half  hour,  though  it  was  by  means  of  a  quick 
stroke  and  great  labor.  The  Cape  May  men  were  vigorous  and 
experienced,  and  they  did  wonders;  nor  were  Rupert  and  I  idle; 
but,  as  soon  as  the  sea  got  up,  it  was  as  much  as  all  four  of  us 
could  do  to  keep  steerage-way  on  the  boat.  There  were  ten 
minutes,  during  which  I  really  think  the  boat  was  kept  head  to 
sea  by  means  of  the  wash  of  the  waves  that  drove  past,  as  we 
barely  held  her  stationary. 

Of  course  it  was  out  of  the  question  to  continue  exertions 
that  were  as  useless  as  they  were  exhausting.  We  tried  the  ex 
pedient,  however,  of  edging  to  the  northward,  with  the  hope  of 
getting  more  under  the  lee  of  the  land,  and,  consequently,  into 
smoother  water;  but  it  did  no  good.  The  nearest  we  ever  got 
to  the  light  must  have  considerably  exceeded  a  league.  At 
length  Rupert,  totally  exhausted,  dropped  his  oar,  and  fell  pant 
ing  on  the  thwart.  He  was  directed  to  steer,  Captain  Robbins 
taking  his  place.  I  can  only  liken  our  situation  at  that  fearful 
moment  to  the  danger  of  a  man  who  is  clinging  to  a  clitF,  its 
summit  and  safety  almost  in  reach  of  his  hand,  with  the  con 
sciousness  that  his  powers  are  fast  failing  him,  and  that  he  must 
shortly  go  down.  It  is  true,  death  was  not  so  certain  by  our 
abandoning  the  effort  to  reach  the  land,  but  the  hope  of  being 
saved  was  faint  indeed.  Behind  us  lay  the  vast  and  angry  At 
lantic,  without  an  inch  of  visible  land  between  us  and  the  Rock 
of  Lisbon.  We  were  totally  without  food  of  any  sort,  though, 
luckily,  there  was  a  small  breaker  of  fresh  water  in  the  boat. 
The  Cape  May  men  had  brought  off  their  suppers  with  them, 
but  they  had  made  the  meal ;  whereas  the  rest  of  us  had  left  the 


108  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

Tigris  fasting,  intending  to  make  comfortable  suppers  at  the 
light. 

At  length  Captain  Bobbins  consulted  the  boatmen,  and  asked 
them  what  they  thought  of  our  situation.  I  sat  between  these 
men,  who  had  been  remarkably  silent  the  whole  time,  pulling 
like  giants.  Both  were  young,  though,  as  I  afterward  learned, 
both  were  married  ;  each  having  a  wife  at  that  anxious  moment 
waiting  on  the  beach  of  the  cape  for  the  return  of  the  boat.  As 
Captain  Robbins  put  the  question,  I  turned  my  head,  and  saw 
that  the  man  behind  me,  the  oldest  of  the  two,  was  in  tears.  I 
cannot  describe  the  shock  I  experienced  at  this  sight.  Here 
was  a  man  accustomed  to  hardships  and  dangers,  who  was 
making  the  stoutest  and  most  manly  efforts  to  save  himself  and 
all  with  him  at  the  very  moment,  so  strongly  impressed  with 
the  danger  of  our  situation,  that  his  feelings  broke  forth  in  a 
way  it  is  always  startling  to  witness,  when  the  grief  of  man  is 
thus  exhibited  in  tears.  The  imagination  of  this  husband  was 
doubtless  picturing  to  his  mind  the  anguish  of  his  wife  at  that 
moment,  and,  perhaps,  the  long  days  of  sorrow  that  were  to 
succeed.  I  have  no  idea  he  thought  of  himself,  apart  from  his 
wife ;  for  a  finer,  more  manly,  resolute  fellow  never  existed,  as  he 
subsequently  proved  to  the  fullest  extent. 

It  seemed  to  me  that  the  two  Cape  May  men  had  a  sort  of 
desperate  reluctance  to  give  up  the  hope  of  reaching  the  land. 
We  were  a  strong  boat's  crew,  and  we  had  a  capital,  though  a 
light  boat ;  yet  all  would  not  do.  About  midnight,  after  pull 
ing  desperately  for  three  hours,  my  strength  was  quite  gone, 
and  I  had  to  give  up  the  oar.  Captain  Robbins  confessed  him 
self  in  a  very  little  better  state,  and,  it  being  impossible  for  the 
boatmen  to  do  more  than  keep  the  boat  stationary,  and  that 
only  for  a  little  time  longer,  there  remained  no  expedient,  but  to 
keep  off  before  the  wind,  in  the  hope  of  still  falling  in  with  the 
ship.  We  knew  that  the  Tigris  was  on  the  starboard  tack  when 
we  left  her,  and,  as  she  would  certainly  endeavor  to  keep  as 
close  in  with  the  land  as  possible,  there  was  a  remaining  chance 
that  she  had  wore  ?hip  to  keep  off  Henlopen,  and  might  l>e 


AFLOAT      AND      ASMOKE.  109 

heading  up  about  north  north-east,  and  laying  athwart  the  mouth 
of  the  bay.  This  left  us  just  a  chance— a  ray  of  hope ;  and  it 
had  now  become  absolutely  necessary  to  endeavor  to  profit  by  it. 

The  two  Cape  May  men  pulled  the  boat  round,  and  kept  her 
just  ahead  of  the  seas,  as  far  as  it  was  in  their  power ;  very  light 
touches  of  the  oars  sufficing  for  this  where  it  coulx^be  done  at 
all.  Occasionally,  however,  one  of  those  chasing  waves  would 
come  after  us  at  a  racer's  speed,  invariably  breaking  at  such  in 
stants,  and  frequently  half  filling  the  boat.  This  gave  us  new 
employment,  Rupert  and  myself  being  kept  quite  half  the  time 
bailing.  No  occupation,  notwithstanding  the  danger,  could  pre 
vent  me  from  looking  about  the  cauldron  of  angry  waters,  in 
quest  of  the  ship.  Fifty  times  did  I  fancy  I  saw  her,  and  as 
often  did  the  delusive  idea  end  in  disappointment.  The  waste 
of  dark  waters,  relieved  by  the  gleaming  of  the  combing  seas, 
alone  met  the  senses.  The  wind  blew  directly  down  the  estu 
ary,  and,  in  crossing  its  mouth,  we  found  too  much  swell  to  re 
ceive  it  on  our  beam,  and  were  soon  compelled,  most  reluctant 
ly  though  it  was,  to  keep  dead  away  to  prevent  swamping. 
This  painful  state  of  expectation  may  have  lasted  half  an  hour, 
the  boat  sometimes  seeming  ready  to  fly  out  of  the  water,  as  it 
drifted  before  the  gale,  when  Rupert  unexpectedly  called  out 
that  he  saw  the  ship. 

There  she  was,  sure  enough,  with  her  head  to  the  northward 
and  eastward,  struggling  along  through  the  raging  waters,  under 
her  fore  and  main-topsails,  close-reefed,  and  reefed  courses, 
evidently  clinging  to  the  land  as  close  as  she  could,  both  to  hold 
her  own  and  to  make  good  weather.  It  was  barely  light  enough 
to  ascertain  these  facts,  though  the  ship  was  not  a  cable's  length 
from  us  when  first  discovered.  Unfortunately,  she  was  dead  to 
leeward  of  us,  and  was  drawing  ahead  so  fast  as  to  leave  the 
probability  she  would  forcreach  upon  us,  unless  we  took  to  all 
our  oars.  This  was  done  as  soon  as  possible,  and  away  we  went, 
at  a  rapid  rate,  aiming  to  shoot  directly  beneath  the  Tigris's 
lee -quarter,  so  as  to  round-to  under  shelter  of  her  hull,  there  to 
receive  a  rope. 


110  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

We  pulled  like  giants.  Three  several  times  the  water  slapped 
into  us,  rendering  the  boat  more  and  more  heavy  ;  but  Captain 
Robbins  told  us  to  pull  on,  every  moment  being  precious.  As 
I  did  not  look  round — could  not  well,  indeed — I  saw  no  more 
of  the  ship  until  I  got  a  sudden  glimpse  of  her  dark  hull,  within 
a  hundred  feet  of  us,  surging  ahead  in  the  manner  in  which 
vessels  at  sea  seem  to  take  sudden  starts  that  carry  them  for 
ward  at  twice  their  former  apparent  speed.  Captain  Robbins 
had  begun  to  hail,  the  instant  he  thought  himself  near  enough, 
or  at  the  distance  of  a  hundred  yards ;  but  what  was  the  hu 
man  voice  amid  the  music  of  the  winds  striking  the  various 
cords,  and  I  may  add  chords,  in  the  mazes  of  a  square-rigged 
vessel's  hamper,  accompanied  by  the  base  of  the  roaring  ocean  ! 
Heavens !  what  a  feeling  of  despair  was  that,  when  the  novel 
thought  suggested  itself  almost  simultaneously  to  our  minds, 
that  we  should  not  make  ourselves  heard !  I  say  simultaneously, 
for  at  the  same  instant  the  whole  five  of  us  set  up  a  common, 
desperate  shout  to  alarm  those  who  were  so  near  us,  and  who 
might  easily  save  us  from  the  most  dreadful  of  all  deaths — 
starvation  at  sea.  I  presume  the  fearful  manner  in  which  we 
struggled  at  the  oars  diminished  the  effect  of  our  voices,  while 
the  effort  to  raise  a  noise  lessened  our  power  with  the  oars.  We 
were  already  to  leeward  of  the  ship,  though  nearly  in  her  wake, 
and  our  only  chance  now  was  to  overtake  her.  The  captain 
called  out  to  us  to  pull  for  life  or  death,  and  pull  we  did.  So 
frantic  were  our  efforts,  that  I  really  think  we  should  have  suc 
ceeded,  had  not  a  sea  come  on  board  us,  and  filled  us  to  the 
thwarts.  There  remained  no  alternative  but  to  keep  dead  away, 
and  to  bail  for  our  lives. 

I  confess  I  felt  scalding  tears  gush  down  my  cheeks,  as  I 
gazed  at  the  dark  mass  of  the  ship  just  before  it  was  swallowed 
up  in  the  gloom.  This  soon  occurred,  and  then,  I  make  no 
doubt,  every  man  in  the  boat  considered  himself  as  hopelessly  lost. 
We  continued  to  bail,  notwithstanding ;  and,  using  hats,  gourds, 
pots  and  pails,  soon  cleared  the  boat,  though  it  was  clone  with 
no  other  seeming  object  than  to  avert  immediate  death.  I 


AFLOAT      AND      ASH  O^R  E .  Ill 

beard  one  of  the  Cape  May  men  pray.  The  name  of  his  wife 
mingled  with  "his  petitions  to  God.  As  for  poor  Captain  Rob- 
bins,  who  had  so  recently  been  in  another  scene  of  equal  danger 
in  a  boat,  he  remained  silent,  seemingly  submissive  to  the  de 
crees  of  Providence. 

In  this  state  we  must  have  drifted  a  league  dead  before  the 
wind,  the  Cape  May  men  keeping  their  eyes  on  the  light,  which 
was  just  sinking  below  the  horizon,  while  the  rest  of  us  were 
gazing  seaward  in  ominous  expectation  of  what  awaited  us  in 
that  direction,  when  the  hail  of  "  boat  ahoy !"  sounded  like  the 
last  trumpet  in  our  ears.  A  schooner  was  passing  our  track, 
keeping  a  little  off,  and  got  so  near  as  to  allow  us  to  be  seen, 
though,  owing  to  a  remark  about  the  light  which  drew  all  eyes 
to  windward,  not  a  soul  of  us  saw  her.  It  was  too  late  to  avert 
the  blow,  for  the  hail  had  hardly  reached  us,  when  the  schooner's 
cut-water  came  down  upon  our  little  craft,  and  buried  it  in  the 
sea  as  if  it  had  been  lead.  At  such  moments  men  do  not  think, 
but  act.  I  caught  at  a  bobstay,  and  missed  it.  As  I  went 
down  into  the  water,  my  hand  fell  upon  some  object  to  which 
I  clung,  and,  the  schooner  rising  at  the  next  instant,  I  was 
grasped  by  the  hair  by  one  of  the  vessel's  men.  I  had  hold  of 
one  of  the  Cape  May  men's  legs.  Released  from  my  weight, 
this  man  was  soon  in  the  vessel's  head,  and  he  helped  to  save 
me.  When  we  got  in-board,  and  mustered  our  party,  it  was 
found  that  all  had  been  saved  but  Captain  Robbins.  The 
schooner  wore  round,  and  actually  passed  over  the  wreck  of  the 
boat  a  second  time  ;  but  our  old  commander  was  never  heard 
of  more ! 


11-2  AFL.OAT      AND      A  S  11  O  R  K  . 


CHAPTER  VII. 

u  Oh !  forget  not  the  hour,  when  through  forest  and  vale 
We  returned  with  our  chief  to  his  dear  native  halls  I 
Through  the  woody  Sierra  there  sigh'd  not  a  gale, 
And  the  moonbeam  was  bright  on  his  battlement  walls; 
'  And  nature  lay  sleeping  in  calmness  and  light, 

Bound  the  house  of  the  truants,  that  rose  on  our  sight." 

MRS.   IlKJIAKS. 

WE  Lad  fallen  on  board  an  eastern  coaster,  called  the  Martha 
Wallis,  bound  from  James  River  to  Boston,  intending"  to  cross 
the  shoals.  Her  watch  had  seen  ns,  because  the  coasters  gen 
erally  keep  better  look-outs  than  Indiamen ;  the  latter,  accus 
tomed  to  good  offings,  having  a  trick  of  letting  their  people  go 
to  sleep  in  the  night-watches.  I  made  a  calculation  of  the 
turns  on  board  the  Tigris,  and  knew  it  was  Mr.  Marble's  watch 
when  we  passed  the  ship ;  and  I  make  no  question  he  was,  at 
that  very  moment,  nodding  on  the  hen-coops — a  sort  of  trick  he 
had.  I  cannot  even  now  understand,  however,  why  the  man  at 
the  wheel  did  not  hear  the  outcry  we  made.  To  me  it  appeared 
loud  enough  to  reach  the  land. 

Sailors  ordinarily  receive  wrecked  mariners  kindly.  •  Our 
treatment  on  board  the  Martha  Wallis  was  all  I  could  have  de 
sired,  and  the  captain  promised  to  put  us  on  board  the  first 
coaster  she  should  fall  in  with,  bound  to  New  York.  He  was 
as  good  as  his  word,  though  not  until  more  than  a  week  had 
elapsed.  It  fell  calm  as  soon  as  the  north-wester  blew  its  pipe 
out,  and  we  did  not  get  into  the  Vineyard  Sound  for  nine  days. 
Here  we  met  a  craft  the  skipper  knew,  and,  being  a  regular 
Boston  and  New  York  coaster,  we  were  put  on  board  her,  with 
a  recommendation  to  good  treatment.  The  people  of  the  Love 
ly  Lass  received  us  just  as  we  had  been  received  on  board  the 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  113 

Martha  Wallis;  all  hands  of  us  living  aft,  and  eating  codfish, 
good  beef  and  pork,  with  duff  (dough)  and  molasses,  almost  ad 
libitum.  From  this  last  vessel  we  learned  all  the  latest  news  of 
the  French  war,  and  how  things  were  going  on  in  the  country. 
The  fourth  day  after  we  were  put  on  board  this  craft,  Rupert 
and  I  landed  near  Peck's  Slip,  New  York,  with  nothing  on 
earth  in  our  possession,  but  just  in  what  we  stood.  This,  how 
ever,  gave  us  but  little  concern — I  had  abundance  at  home,  and 
Rupert  was  certain  of  being  free  from  want,  both  through  me 
and  through  his  father. 

I  had  never  parted  with  the  gold  given  me  by  Lucy,  how 
ever.  When  we  got  into  the  boat  to  land  at  the  cape,  I  had 
put  on  the  belt  in  which  I  kept  this  little  treasure,  and  it  was 
still  round  my  body.  I  had  kept  it  as  a  sort  of  memorial  of  the 
dear  girl  who  had  given  it  to  me ;  but  I  now  saw  the  means  of 
making  it  useful,  without  disposing  of  it  altogether.  I  knew 
that  the  wisest  course,  in  all  difficulties,  was  to  go  at  once  to 
head-quarters.  I  asked  the  address  of  the  firm  that  owned,  or 
rather  had  owned  the  John,  and  proceeded  to  the  counting- 
house  forthwith.  I  told  my  story,  but  found  that  Kite  had 
been  before  me.  It  seems  that  the  Tigris  got  a  fair  wind,  three 
days  after  the  blow,  that  carried  her  up  to  the  very  wharves  of 
Philadelphia,  when  most  of  the  John's  people  had  come  on  to 
New  York  without  delay.  By  communications  with  the  shore 
at  the  cape,  the  pilot  had  learned  that  his  boat  had  never 
returned,  and  our  loss  was  supposed  to  have  inevitably  occurred. 
The  accounts  of  all  this  were  in  the  papers,  and  I  began  to  fear 
that  the  distressing  tidings  might  have  reached  Clawbonny. 
Indeed,  there  were  little  obituary  notices  of  Rupert  and  myself 
in  the  journals,  inserted  by  some  hand  piously  employed,  I 
should  think,  by  Mr.  Kite.  We  were  tenderly  treated,  consid 
ering  our  escapade  ;  and  my  fortune  and  prospects  were  dwelt 
on  with  some  touches  of  eloquence  that  might  have  been  spared. 

In  that  day,  however,  a  newspaper  was  a  very  different  thing 
from  what  it  has  since  become.  Then,  journals  were  created 
merely  to  meet  the  demand,  and  news  was  given  as  it  actually 


114  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

occurred  ;  whereas,  now,  the  competition  has  produced  a  change 
that  any  one  can  appreciate,  when  it  is  remembered  to  what  a 
competition  in  news  must  infallibly  lead.  In  that  day,  our  own 
journals  had  not  taken  to  imitating  the  worst  features  of  the 
English  newspapers — talents  and  education  are  not  yet  cheap 
enough  in  America  to  enable  them  to  imitate  the  best — and 
the  citizen  was  supposed  to  have  some  rights,  as  put  in  opposi 
tion  to  the  press.  The  public  sense  of  right  had  not  become 
blunted  by  familiarity  with  abuses,  and  the  miserable  and  craven 
apology  was  never  heard  for  not  enforcing  the  laws,  that  nobody 
cares  for  what  the  newspapers  say.  Owing  to  these  causes,  I 
escaped  a  thousand  lies  about  myself,  my  history,  my  disposi 
tion,  character  and  acts.  Still,  I  was  in  print ;  and  I  confess 
it  half  frightened  me  to  see  my  death  announced  in  such  ob 
vious  letters,  although  I  had  physical  evidence  of  being  alive 
and  well. 

The  owners  questioned  me  closely  about  the  manner  in  which 
the  John  was  lost,  and  expressed  themselves  satisfied  with  my 
answers.  I  then  produced  my  half-joes,  and  asked  to  borrow 
something  less  than  their  amount  on  their  security.  To  the 
latter  part  of  the  proposition,  however,  these  gentlemen  would 
not  listen,  forcing  a  check  for  a  hundred  dollars  on  me,  desiring 
that  the  money  might  be  paid  at  my  own  convenience.  Knowing 
I  had  Clawbonny  and  a  very  comfortable  income  under  my  lee, 
I  made  no  scruples  about  accepting  the  sum,  and  took  my  leave. 

Rupert  and  I  had  now  the  means  of  equipping  ourselves  neat 
ly,  though  always  in  sailor  guise.  After  this  was  done  we  pro 
ceeded  to  the  Albany  basin,  in  order  to  ascertain  whether  the 
Wallingford  were  down  or  not.  At  the  basin  we  learned  that 
the  sloop  had  gone  out  that  very  forenoon,  having  on  board  a 
black  with  his  young  master's  effects ;  a  lad  who  was  said  to 
have  been  out  to  Canton  with  young  Mr.  Wallingford,  and  who 
was  .now  on  his  way  home  to  report  all  the  sad  occurrences  to 
the  family  in  Ulster.  This,  then,  was  Neb,  who  had  got  thus 
far  back  in  charge  of  our  chests,  and  was  about  to  return  to 
slavery. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  115 

We  had  been  in  hopes  that  \ve  might  possibly  reacu  Claw- 
bonny  before  the  tidings  of  our  loss.  This  intelligence  was 
likely  to  defeat  the  expectation ;  but,  luckily,  one  of  the  fastest 
sloops  on  the  river,  a  Hudson  packet,  was  on  the  point  of  sail 
ing,  and,  though  the  wind  held  well  to  the  northward,  her  mas 
ter  thought  he  should  be  able  to  turn  up  with  the  tides  as  high 
as  our  creek,  in  the  course  of  the  next  eight-and-forty  hours. 
This  was  quite  as  much  as  the  Wallingford  could  do  I  felt  well 
persuaded ;  and,  making  a  bargain  to  be  landed  on  the  western 
shore,  Rupert  and  I  put  our  things  on  board  this  packet,  and 
were  under  way  in  half  an  hour's  time. 

So  strong  was  my  own  anxiety,  I  could  not  keep  off  the  deck 
until  we  had  anchored  on  account  of  the  flood ;  and  much  did 
I  envy  Rupert,  who  had  coolly  turned  in  as  soon  as  it  was  dark, 
and  went  to  sleep.  When  the  anchor  was  down,  I  endeavored 
to  imitate  his  example.  On  turning  out  next  morning,  I  found 
the  vessel  in  Newburg  Bay,  with  a  fair  wind.  About  twelve 
o'clock  I  could  see  the  mouth  of  the  creek,  and  the  Wallingford 
fairly  entering  it,  her  sails  disappearing  behind  the  trees  just  as 
I  caught  sight  of  them.  As  no  other  craft  of  her  size  ever  went 
up  to  that  landing,  I  could  not  be  mistaken  in  the  vessel. 

By  getting  ashore  half  a  mile  above  the  creek,  there  was  a 
farm-road  that  would  lead  to  the  house  by  a  cut  so  short,  as 
nearly  to  bring  us  there  as  soon  as  Neb  could  possibly  arrive 
with  his  dire,  but  false  intelligence.  The  place  was  pointed  out 
to  the  captain,  who  had  extracted  our  secret  from  us,  and  who, 
good-naturedly,  consented  to  do  all  we  asked  of  him.  I  do 
think  he  would  have  gone  into  the  creek  itself,  had  it  been  re 
quired.  But  we  were  landed  with  our  bag  of  clothes — one  an 
swered  very  well  for  both — at  the  place  I  have  mentioned,  and, 
taking  turn  about  to  shoulder  the  wardrobe,  away  we  went,  as 
fast  as  legs  could  carry  us.  Even  Rupert  seemed  to  feel  on  this 
occasion,  and  I  do  think  he  had  a  good  deal  of  contrition,  as  he 
must  have  recollected  the  pain  he  had  occasioned  his  excellent 
father  and  dear,  good  sister. 

Clawbonny  never  looked  more  beautiful  than  when  I  first 


116  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

cast  eyes  on  it  that  afternoon.  There  lay  the  house  in  the  se 
cure  retirement  of  its  smiling  vale,  the  orchards  just  beginning 
to  lose  their  blossoms ;  the  broad,  rich  meadows,  with  the 
grass  waving  in  the  south  wind,  resembling  velvet ;  the  fields 
of  corn  of  all  sorts ;  and  the  cattle,  as  they  stood  ruminating  or 
enjoying  their  existence  in  motionless  self-indulgence  beneath 
the  shade  of  trees,  seemed  to  speak  of  abundance  and  consider 
ate  treatment.  Every  thing  denoted  peace,  plenty,  and  happi 
ness.  Yet  this  place,  with  all  its  blessings  and  security,  had  I 
wilfully  deserted  to  encounter  pirates  in  the  Straits  of  Sunda, 
shipwreck  on  the  shores  of  Madagascar,  jeopardy  in  an  open 
boat  off  the  Isle  of  France,  and  a  miraculous  preservation  from  a 
horrible  death  on  my  own  coast ! 

At  no  great  distance  from  the  house  was  a  dense  grove,  in 
which  Rupert  and  I  had,  with  our  own  hands,  constructed  a 
rude  summer-house,  fit  to  be  enjoyed  on  just  such  an  afternoon 
as  this  on  which  we  had  returned.  When  distant  from  it  only 
two  hundred  yards,  we  saw  the  girls  enter  the  wood,  evidently 
taking  the  direction  of  the  seat.  At  the  same  moment  I  caught 
a  glimpse  of  Neb  moving  up  the  road  from  the  landing  at  a 
snail's  pace,  as  if  the  poor  fellow  dreaded  to  encounter  the  task 
before  him.  After  a  moment's  consultation,  we  determined  to 
proceed  at  once  to  the  grove,  and  thus  anticipate  the  account 
of  Neb,  who  must  pass  so  near  the  summer-house  as  to  be  seen 
and  recognized.  We  met  with  more  obstacles  than  we  had 
foreseen  or  remembered,  and  when  we  got  to  a  thicket  close  in 
the  rear  of  the  bench,  we  found  that  the  black  was  already  in 
the  presence  of  his  two  "  young  mistresses." 

The  appearance  of  the  three,  when  I  first  caught  a  near  view 
of  them,  was  such  as  almost  to  terrify  me.  Even  Neb,  whose 
face  was  usually  as  shining  as  a  black  bottle,  was  almost  of  the 
color  of  ashes.  The  poor  fellow  could  not  speak,  and,  though 
Lucy  was  actually  shaking  him  to  extract  an  explanation,  the 
only  answer  she  could  get  was  tears.  These  flowed  from  Neb's 
eyes  in  streams,  and,  at  length,  the  fellow  threw  himself  on  the 
ground,  and  fairly  began  to  groan. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  117 

.     "  Can  this  be  shame  at  having  run  away  ?"  exclaimed  Lucy, 
"  or  does  it  foretell  evil  to  the  boys  ?" 

"  He  knows  nothing  of  them,  not  having  been  with  them — 
yet,  I  am  terrified." 

"  Not  on  my  account,  dearest  sister,"  I  cried  aloud ;  "  here 
are  Rupert  and  I,  God  be  praised,  both  in  good  health,  and 
safe." 

I  took  care  to  remain  hid,  as  I  uttered  this,  not  to  alarm  more ' 
than  one  sense  at  a  time ;  but  both  the  girls  shrieked,  and  held 
out  their  arms.  Rupert  and  I  hesitated  no  longer,  but  sprang 
forward.  I  know  not  how  it  happened,  though  I  found,  on 
recovering  my  self-possession,  that  I  was  folding  Lucy  to  my 
heart,  while  Rupert  was  doing  the  same  to  Grace.  This  little 
mistake,  however,  was  soon  rectified,  each  man  embracing  his 
own  sister,  as  in  duty  bound,  and  as  was  most  decorous.  The 
girls  shed  torrents  of  tears,  and  assured  us  again  and  again,  that 
this  was  the  only  really  happy  moment  they  had  known  since 
the  parting  on  the  wharf,  nearly  a  twelvemonth  before.  Then 
followed  looks  at  each  other,  exclamations  of  surprise  and  pleas 
ure  at  the  changes  that  had  taken  place  in  the  appearance  of 
all  parties,  and  kisses  and  tears  again  in  abundance. 

As  for  Neb,  the  poor  fellow  was  seen  in  the  road,  whither  he 
had  fled  at  the  sound  of  my  voice,  looking  at  us  like  one  in 
awe  and  doubt.  Being  satisfied  in  the  end  of  our  identity,  as 
well  as  of  our  being  in  the  flesh,  the  negro  again  threw  himself 
on  the  ground,  rolling  over  and  over,  and  fairly  yelling  with  de 
light.  After  going  through  this  process  of  negro  excitement, 
he  leaped  up  on  his  feet,  and  started  for  the  house,  shouting  at 
the  top  of  his  voice,  as  if  certain  the  good  intelligence  he 
brought  would  secure  his  own  pardon — "Master  Miles  come 
home  ! — Master  Miles  come  home  !" 

In  a  few  minutes  quiet  was  sufficiently  restored  among  us 
four,  who  remained  at  the  seat,  to  ask  questions,  and  receive  in 
telligible  answers.  Glad  was  I  to  ascertain  that  the  girls  had 
been  spared  the  news  of  our  loss.  As  for  Mr.  Hardinge,  he 
was  well,  and  busied,  as  usual,  in  discharging  the  duties  of  his 


118  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

holy  office.  He  Lad  told  Grace  and  Lucy  the  name  of  the  ves 
sel  in  which  we  had  shipped,  but  said  nothing  of  the  painful 
glimpse  he  had  obtained  of  us,  just  as  we  lifted  our  anchor  to 
quit  the  port.  Grace,  in  a  solemn  manner,  then  demanded  an 
outline  of  our  adventures.  As  Rupert  was  the  spokesman  on 
this  occasion,  the  question  having  been  in  a  manner  put  to  him 
as  oldest,  I  had  an  opportunity  of  watching  the  sweet  counte 
nances  of  the  two  painfully  interested  listeners.  Rupert  affect 
ed  modesty  in  his  narration,  if  he  did  not  feel  it,  though  I 
remarked  that  he  dwelt  a  little  particularly  on  the  shot  which 
had  lodged  so  near  him,  in  the  head  of  the  Tigris's  foremast. 
He  spoke  of  the  whistling  it  made  as  it  approached,  and  the 
violence  of  the  blow  when  it  struck.  He  had  the  impudence, 
too,  to  speak  of  my  good  luck  in  being  on  the  other  side  of  the 
top,  when  the  shot  passed  through  my  station ;  whereas  I  do 
believe  that  the  shot  passed  nearer  to  me  than  it  did  to  him 
self.  It  barely  missed  me,  and  by  all  I  could  learn,  Rupert  was 
leaning  over  by  the  topmast  rigging  when  it  lodged.  The  fel 
low  told  his  story  in  his  own  way,  however,  and  with  so  much 
unction  that  I  observed  it  made  Grace  look  pale.  The  effect  on 
Lucy  was  different.  This  excellent  creature  perceived  my  un 
easiness,  I  half  suspected,  for  she  laughed,  and,  interrupting  her 
brother,  told  him,  "  There — that's  enough  about  the  cannon- 
ball  ;  now  let  us  hear  of  something  else."  Rupert  colored,  for 
he  had  frequently  had  such  frank  hints  from  his  sister,  in  the 
course  of  his  childhood ;  but  he  had  too  much  address  to  betray 
the  vexation  I  knew  he  felt. 

To  own  the  truth,  my  attachment  for  Rupert  had  materially 
lessened  with  the  falling  off  of  my  respect.  He  had  manifested 
so  much  selfishness  during  the  voyage — had  shirked  so  much 
duty,  most  of  which  had  fallen  on  poor  Neb — and  had  been  so 
little  of  the  man,  in  practice,  whom  he  used  so  well  to  describe 
with  his  tongue — that  I  could  no  longer  shut  my  eyes  to  some 
of  his  deficiencies  of  character.  I  still  liked  him;  but  it  was 
from  habit,  and  perhaps  because  he  was  my  guardian's  son,  and 
Lucy's  brother.  Then  I  could  not  conceal  from  myself  that 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  119 

Rupert  was  not,  in  a  rigid  sense,  a  lad  of  truth.  He  colored, 
exaggerated,  glossed  over  and  embellished,  if  he  did  not  abso 
lutely  invent.  I  was  not  old  enough  then  to  understand  that 
most  of  the  statements  that  float  about  the  world  are  nothing 
but  truths  distorted,  and  that  nothing  is  more  rare  than  unadul 
terated  fact ;  that  truths  and  lies  travel  in  company,  as  de 
scribed  by  Pope  in  his  Temple  of  Fame,  until 

"  This  or  that  unmixed,  no  mortal  e'er  shall  find." 

In  this  very  narration  of  our  voyage,  Rupert  had  left  false 
impressions  on  the  minds  of  his  listeners,  in  fifty  things.  He 
had  made  far  more  of  both  our  little  skirmishes  than  the  truth 
would  warrant,  and  he  had  neglected  to  do  justice  to  Neb  in 
his  account  of  each  of  the  affairs.  Then  he  commended  Captain 
Robbins's  conduct  in  connection  with  the  loss  of  the  John,  on 
points  that  could  not  be  sustained,  and  censured  him  for  meas 
ures  that  deserved  praise.  I  knew  Rupert  was  no  seaman — • 
was  pretty  well  satisfied,  by  this  time,  he  never  would  make 
'  one — but  I  could  not  explain  all  his  obliquities  by  referring 
them  to  ignorance.  The  manner,  moreover,  in  which  he  rep 
resented  himself  as  the  principal  actor,  on  all  occasions,  denoted 
so  much  address,  that,  while  I  felt  the  falsity  of  the  impressions 
he  left,  I  did  not  exactly  see  the  means  necessary  to  counteract 
them.  •  So  ingenious,  indeed,  was  his  manner  of  stringing  facts 
and  inferences  together,  or  what  seemed  to  be  facts  and  infer 
ences,  that  I  more  than  once  caught  myself  actually  believing 
that  which,  in  sober  reality,  I  knew  to  be  false.  I  was  still  too 
young,  not  quite  eighteen,  to  feel  any  apprehensions  on  the 
subject  of  Grace  ;  and  was  too  much  accustomed  to  both  Rupert 
and  his  sister  to  regard  either  with  any  feelings  very  widely 
different  from  those  which  I  entertained  for  Grace  herself. 

As  soon  as  the  history  of  our  adventures  and  exploits  was 
concluded,  we  all  had  leisure  to  observe  and  comment  on  the 
alterations  that  time  had  made  in  our  several  persons.  Rupert, 
being  the  oldest,  was  the  least  changed  in  this  particular.  He 
liad  got  his  growth  early,  and  was  only  a  little  spread.  He  had 


120  AFLOAT     AXO     ASHORK. 

cultivated  a  pair  of  whiskers  at  sea,  which  rendered  his  face  a 
litlle  more  manly — an  improvement,  by  the  way — but,  the  ef 
fects  of  exposure  and  of  the  sun  excepted,  there  was  no  very 
material  change  in  his  exterior.  Perhaps,  on  the  whole,  he  was 
improved  in  appearance.  I  think  both  the  girls  fancied  this, 
though  Grace  did  not  say  it,  and  Lucy  only  half  admitted  it,  and 
that  with  many  reservations.  As  for  myself,  I  was  also  full-grown, 
standing  exactly  six  feet  hi  my  stockings,  which  was  pretty  well 
for  eighteen.  But  I  had  also  spread ;  a  fact  that  is  not  common 
for  lads  at  that  age.  Grace  said  I  had  lost  all  delicacy  of  ap 
pearance  ;  and  as  for  Lucy,  though  she  laughed  and  blushed,  she 
protested  I  began  to  look  like  a  great  bear.  To  confess  the  truth, 
I  was  well  satisfied  with  my  own  appearance,  did  not  envy  Ru 
pert  a  jot,  and  knew  I  could  toss  him  over  my  shoulder  when 
ever  I  chose.  I  stood  the  strictures  on  my  appearance,  therefore, 
very  well ;  and,  though  no  one  was  so  much  derided  and  laughed 
at  as  myself,  in  that  critical  discussion,  no  one  cared  less  for  it. 
Just  as  I  was  permitted  to  escape,  Lucy  said,  in  an  undertone, 

"  You  should  have  stayed  at  home,  Miles,  and  then  the" 
changes  would  have  come  so  gradually,  no  one  would  have  no 
ticed  them,  and  you  would  have  escaped  being  told  how  much 
you  are  altered,  and  that  you  are  a  bear." 

I  looked  eagerly  round  at  the  speaker,  and  eyed  her  intently. 
A  look  of  regret  passed  over  the  dear  creature's  face,  her  eyes 
looked  as  penitent  as  they  did  soft,  and  the  flush  that  suffused 
her  countenance  rendered  this  last  expression  almost  bewitching. 
At  the  same  instant  she  whispered,  "  I  did  not  really  mean  that." 

But  it  was  Grace's  turn,  and  my  attention  was  drawn  to  my 
sister.  A  year  had  made  great. improvements  in  Grace.  Young 
as  she  was,  she  had  lost  much  of  the  girlish  air  in  the  sedate- 
ness  and  propriety  of  the  young  woman.  Grace  had  always 
some'thing  more  of  these  last  than  is  common ;  but  they  had 
now  completely  removed  every  appearance  of  childish,  I  might 
almost  say  of  girlish,  frivolity.  In  person  her  improvement  was 
great ;  though  an  air  of  exceeding  delicacy  rather  left  an  im 
pression  that  such  a  being  was  more  intended  for  another  world 


AFLOAT     AND     ASFIORE.  121 

than  this.  There  was  ever  an  air  of  fragility  and  of  pure  intellec 
tuality  about  my  poor  sister,  that  half  disposed  one  to  fancy 
that  she  would  one  day  be  translated  to  a  better  sphere  in  the 
body  precisely  as  she  stood  before  human  eyes.  Lucy  bore  the 
examination  well.  She  was  all  woman,  there  being  nothing 
about  her  to  create  any  miraculous  expectations  or  fanciful  pic 
tures  ;  but  she  was  evidently  fast  getting  to  be  a  very  lovely 
woman.  Honest,  sincere,  full  of  heart,  overflowing  with  the 
feelings  of  her  sex,  gentle,  yet  spirited,  buoyant  though  melting 
with  the  charities ;  her  changeful,  but  natural,  and  yet  constant 
feelings  in  her,  kept  me  incessantly  in  pursuit  of  her  playful 
mind  and  varying  humors.  Still,  a  more  high-principled  being, 
a  firmer  or  more  consistent  friend,  or  a  more  accurate  thinker  on 
all  subjects  that  suited  her  years  and  became  her  situation  than 
Lucy  Hardinge,  never  existed.  Even  Grace  was  influenced  by 
her  judgment,  though  I  did  not  then  know  how  much  my 
sisters  mind  was  guided  by  her  simple  and  less  pretending 
friend's  capacity  to  foresee  things,  and  to  reason  on  their  con 
sequences. 

We  were  more  than  an  hour  uninterruptedly  together  before 
we  thought  of  repairing  to  the  house.  Lucy  then  reminded 
Rupert  that  he  had  not  yet  seen  his  father,  whom  she  had  just 
before  observed  alighting  from  his  horse  at  the  door  of  his  own 
study.  That  he  had  been  apprised  of  the  return  of  the  runa 
ways,  if  not  prodigals,  was  evident,  she  thought,  by  his  manner ; 
and  it  was  disrespectful  to  delay  seeking  his  forgiveness  and 
blessing.  Mr.  Hardinge  received  us  both  without  surprise,  and 
totally  without  any  show  of  resentment.  It  was  about  the  time 
he  expected  our  return,  and  no  surprise  was  felt  at  finding  this 
expectation  realized,  as  a  matter  of  course,  while  resentment  was 
almost  a  stranger  to  his  nature.  We  all  shed  tears,  the  girls 
sobbing  aloud  ;  and  we  were  both  solemnly  blessed.  Nor  am  I 
ashamed  to  say  I  knelt  to  receive  that  blessing,  in  an  age  when 
the  cant  of  a  pretending  irreligion — there  is  as  much  cant  in  self- 
sufficiency  as  in  hypocrisy,  and  they  very  often  go  together — 
is  disposed  to  turn  into  ridicule  the  humbling  of  the  person 
0 


122  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

while  asking  for  the  blessing  of  the  Almighty  through  the  min 
isters  of  his  altars  ;  for  kneel  I  did,  and  weep  I  did,  and,  I  trust, 
the  one  in  humility  and  the  other  in  contrition. 

When  we  had  all  become  a  little  calm,  and  a  substantial  meal 
was  placed  before  us  adventurers,  Mr.  Hardinge  demanded  an 
account  of  all  that  had  passed.  He  applied  to  me  to  give  it, 
and  I  was  compelled  to  discharge  the  office  of  an  historian, 
somewhat  against  my  inclination.  There  was  no  remedy,  how 
ever,  and  I  told  the  story  in  my  own  simple  manner,  and  cer 
tainly  in  a  way  to  leave  very  different  impressions  from  many  of 
those  made  by  the  narrative  of  Rupert.  I  thought  once  or 
twice,  as  I  proceeded,  Lucy  looked  sorrowful,  and  Grace  looked 
surprised.  I  do  not  think  I  colored  in  the  least  as  regarded 
myself,  and  I  know  I  did  Neb  no  more  than  justice.  My  tale 
was  soon  told,  for  I  felt  the  whole  time  as  if  I  were  contradict 
ing  Rupert,  who,  by  the  way,  appeared  perfectly  unconcerned — 
perfectly  unconscious,  indeed — on  the  subject  of  the  discrepan 
cies  in  the  two  accounts.  I  have  since  met  with  men  who  did 
not  know  the  truth  when  it  was  even  placed  very  fairly  before 
their  eyes. 

Mr.  Hardinge  expressed  his  heartfelt  happiness  at  having  us 
back  again,  and  soon  after  he  ventured  to  ask  if  we  were  satis 
fied  with  what  we  had  seen  of  the  world.  This  was  a  home 
question,  but  I  thought  it  best  to  meet  it  manfully.  So  far 
from  being  satisfied,  I  told  him  it  was  my  ardent  desire  to  get  on 
board  one  of  the  letters-of-marque,  of  which  so  many  were  then 
fitting  out  in  the  country,  and  to  make  a  voyage  to  Europe. 
Rupert,  however,  confessed  he  had  mistaken  his  vocation,  and 
that  he  thought  he  could  do  no  better  than  to  enter  a  lawyer's 
office.  I  was  thunderstruck  at  this  quiet  admission  of  my  friend 
of  his  incapacity  to  make  a  sailor,  for  it  was  the  first  intimation 
T  heard  of  his  intention.  I  ha'd  remarked  a  certain  want  of  en 
ergy  in  various  situations  that  required  action  in  Rupert,  but  no 
want  of  courage ;  and  I  had  ascribed  some  portion  of  his  lassi 
tude  to  the  change  of  condition,  and,  possibly,  of  food  ;  for,  after 
all,  that  godlike  creature,  man,  is  nothing  but  an  animal,  and  is 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  12S 

just  as  much  influenced  by  his  stomach  and  digestion  as  a 
sheep  or  a  horse. 

Mr.  Hardinge  received  his  son's  intimation  of  a  preference 
of  intellectual  labors  to  a  more  physical  state  of  existence,  with 
a  gratification  my  own  wishes  did  not  afford  him.  Still,  he 
made  no  particular  remark  to  either  at  the  time,  permitting  us 
both  to  enjoy  our  return  to  Clawbonny,  without  any  of  the 
drawbacks  of  advice  or  lectures.  The  evening  passed  delight 
fully,  the  girls  beginning  to  laugh  heartily  at  our  own  ludicrous 
accounts  of  the  mode  of  living  on  board  ship,  and  of  our  vari 
ous  scenes  in  China,  the  Isle  of  Bourbon,  and  elsewhere.  Rupert 
had  a  great  deal  of  humor,  and  a  very  dry  way  of  exhibiting  it ; 
in  short,  he  was  almost  a  genius  in  the  mere  superficialities  of 
life ;  and  even  Grace  rewarded  his  efforts  to  entertain  us,  with 
laughter  to  tears.  Neb  was  introduced  after  supper,  and  the 
fellow  was  both  censured  and  commended ;  censured  for  having 
abandoned  the  household  gods,  and  commended  for  not  having 
deserted  their  master.  His  droll  descriptions  of  the  Chinese, 
their  dress,  pigtails,  shoes,  and  broken  English,  diverted  even 
Mr.  Hardinge,  who,  I  believe,  felt  as  much  like  a  boy  on  this 
occasion,  as  any  of  the  party.  A  happier  evening  than  that 
which  followed  in  the  little  tea-parlor,  as  my  dear  mother  used 
to  call  it,  was  never  passed  in  the  century  that  the  roof  had 
covered  the  old  walls  of  Clawbonny. 

Next  day  I  had  a  private  conversation  with  my  guardian, 
who  commenced  the  discourse  by  rendering  a  sort  of  account 
of  the  proceeds  of  my  property  during  the  past  year.  I  listen 
ed  respectfully,  and  with  some  interest ;  for  I  saw  the  first  gave 
Mr.  Hardinge  great  satisfaction,  and  I  confess  the  last  afforded 
some  little  pleasure  to  myself.  I  found  that  things  had  gone 
on  very  prosperously.  Ready  money  was  accumulating,  and  I 
saw  that,  by  the  time  I  came  of  age,  sufficient  cash  would  be  on 
hand  to  give  me  a  ship  of  my  own,  should  I  choose  to  pur 
chase  one.  From  that  moment  I  was  secretly  determined  to 
qualify  myself  to  command  her  in  the  intervening  time.  Little 
was  said  of  the  future,  beyond  an  expression  of  the  hope,  by 


124  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

my  guardian,  that  I  would  take  time  to  reflect  before  I  came  to 
a  final  decision  on  the  subject  of  my  profession.  To  this  I  said 
nothing  beyond  making  a  respectful  inclination  of  the  head. 

For  the  next  month,  Clawbonny  was  a  scene  of  uninterrupted 
merriment  and  delight.  We  had  few  families  to  visit  in  our 
immediate  neighborhood,  it  is  true ;  and  Mr.  Hardinge  pro 
posed  an  excursion  to  the  Springs — the  country  was  then  too 
new,  and  the  roads  too  bad,  to  think  of  Niagara — but  to  this  I 
would  not  listen.  I  cared  not  for  the  Springs — knew  little  of, 
and  cared  less  for  fashion — and  loved  Clawbonny  to  its  stocks 
and  stones.  We  remained  at  home,  then,  living  principally  for 
each  other.  Rupert  read  a  good  deal  to  the  girls,  under  the 
direction  of  his  father ;  while  I  passed  no  small  portion  of  my 
time  in  athletic  exercises.  The  Grace  and  Lucy  made  one  or 
two  tolerably  long  cruises  in  the  river,  and  at  length  I  conceived 
the  idea  of  taking  the  party  down  to  town  in  the  Wallingford. 
Neither  of  the  girls  had  ever  seen  New  York,  or  much  of  the 
Hudson ;  nor  had  either  ever  seen  a  ship.  The  sloops  that 
passed  up  and  down  the  Hudson,  with  an  occasional  schooner, 
were  the  extent  of  their  acquaintance  with  vessels ;  and  I  began 
to  feel  it  to  be  matter  of  reproach  that  those  in  whom  I  took  so 
deep  an  interest,  should  be  so  ignorant.  As  for  the  girls 
themselves,  they  both  admitted,  now  I  was  a  sailor,  that  their 
desire  to  see  a  regular,  three-masted,  full-rigged  ship,  was  in 
creased  seven-fold. 

Mr.  Hardinge  heard  my  proposition,  at  first,  as  a  piece  of 
pleasantry ;  but  Grace  expressing  a  strong  desire  to  see  a  large 
town,  or  what  was  thought  a  large  town  in  this  country,  in  1799, 
and  Lucy  looking  wistful,  though  she  remained  silent  under  an 
apprehension  her  father  could  not  afford  the  expense  of  such  a 
journey,  which  her  imagination  rendered  a  great  deal  more 
formidable  than  it  actually  proved  to  be,  the  excellent  divine 
finally  acquiesced.  The  expense  was  disposed  of  in  a  very 
simple  manner.  The  journey,  both  ways,  would  be  made  in 
the  Wallingford ;  and  Mr.  Hardinge  was  not  so  unnecessarily 
scrupulous  as  to  refuse  passages  for  himself  and  children  in  the 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  125 

sloop,  which  never  exacted  passage-money  from  any  who  went 
to  or  from  the  farm.  Food  was  so  cheap,  too,  as  to  be  a  mat 
ter  of  no  consideration ;  and,  being  entitled  legally  to  receive 
that  at  Clawbonny,  it  made  no  great  difference  whether  it  were 
taken  on  board  the  vessel,  or  in  the  house.  Then  there  was  a 
Mrs.  Bradfort  in  New  York,  a  widow  lady  of  easy  fortune,  who 
was  a  cousin-german  of  Mr.  Hardinge's — his  father's  sister's 
daughter — and  with  her  he  always  staid  in  his  own  annual  visits 
to  attend  the  convention  of  the  Church — I  beg  pardon,  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  as  it  is  now  de  rigueur  to  say ;  I 
wonder  some  ultra  does  not  introduce  the  manifest  improvement 
into  the  Apostles'  Creed  of  saying,  "  I  believe  in  the  Holy 
Protestant  Episcopal  Catholic  Church,  etc." — but,  the  excellent 
divine,  in  his  annual  attendance  on  the  convention,  was  accus 
tomed  to  stay  with  his  kinswoman,  who  often  pressed  him  to 
bring  both  Lucy  and  Grace  to  see  her ;  her  house  in  Wall  street 
being  abundantly  large  enough  to  accommodate  a  much  more 
numerous  party.  "  Yes,"  said  Mr.  Hardinge,  "  that  shall  be  the 
arrangement.  The  girls  and  I  will  stay  with  Mrs.  Bradfort,  and 
the  young  men  can  live  at  a  tavern.  I  dare  say  this  new  City 
Hotel,  which  seems  to  be  large  enough  to  contain  a  regiment, 
will  hold  even  them.  I  will  write  this  very  evening  to  my 
cousin,  so  as  not  to  take  her  by  surprise." 

In  less  than  a  week  after  this  determination,  an  answer  was 
received  from  Mrs.  Bradfort ;  and,  the  very  next  day,  the  whole 
party,  Neb  included,  embarked  in  the  Wallingford.  Very  dif 
ferent  was  this  passage  down  the  Hudson  from  that  which  had 
preceded  it.  Then  I  had  the  sense  of  error  about  me,  while  my 
heart  yearned  toward  the  two  dear  girls  we  had  left  on  the 
wharf;  but  now  every  thing  was  above-board,  sincere,  and  by 
permission.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  Grace  and  Lucy 
were  enchanted  with  every  thing  they  saw.  The  Highlands,  in 
particular,  threw  them  both  into  ecstasies,  though  I  have  since 
seen  so  much  of  the  world  as  to  understand,  with  nearly  all 
experienced  tourists,  that  this  is  relatively  the  worst  part  of  the 
scenery  of  this  beautiful  river.  When  I  say  relatively,  I  mean 


126  AFLOAT      AND      ASHOKE. 

as  comparing  the  bolder  parts  of  our  stream  with  those  of  others 
— speaking  of  them  as  high  lands — many  other  portions  of  this 
good  globe  having  a  much  superior  grandeur,  while  very  few 
have  so  much  lovely  river  scenery  compressed  into  so  small  a 
space  as  is  to  be  found  in  the  other  parts  of  the  Hudson. 

In  due  time  we  arrived  in  New  York,  and  I  had  the  supreme 
happiness  of  pointing  out  to  the  girls  the  State's  Prison,  the 
Bear  Market,  and  the  steeples  of  St.  Paul's  and  Trinity — old 
Trinity,  as  it  was  so  lately  the  fashion  to  style  a  church  that 
was  built  only  a  few  years  before,  and  which,  in  my  youth,  was 
considered  as  magnificent  as  it  was  venerable.  That  building 
has  already  disappeared ;  and  another  edifice,  which  is  now 
termed  splendid,  vast,  and  I  know  not  what,  has  been  reared  in 
its  place.  By  the  time  this  is  gone,  and  one  or  two  generations 
of  buildings  have  succeeded,  each  approaching  nearer  to  the 
high  standard  of  church  architecture  in  the  old  world,  the  Man- 
hattanese  will  get  to  understand  something  of  the  use  of  the 
degrees  of  comparison  on  such  subjects.  When  that  day  shall 
arrive,  they  will  cease  to  be  provincial,  and — not  till  then. 

What  a  different  thing  was  Wall  street,  in  1799,  from  what  it  is 
to-day !  Then,  where  so  many  Grecian  temples  are  now  reared 
to  Plutus,  were  rows  of  modest  provincial  dwellings ;  not  a  tittle 
more  provincial,  however,  than  the  thousand  meretricious  houses 
of  bricks  and  marble  that  have  since  started  up  in  their  neigh 
borhood,  but  far  less  pretending,  and  insomuch  the  more  credit 
able.  Mrs.  Bradfort  lived  in  one  of  these  respectable  abodes, 
and  thither  Mr.  Hardinge  led  the  way,  with  just  as  much  confi 
dence  as  one  would  now  walk  into  Bleecker  street,  or  the  Fifth 
Avenue.  Money-changers  were  then  unknown,  or,  if  known, 
were  of  so  little  account  that  they  had  not  sufficient  force  to 
form  a  colony  and  a  league  by  themselves.  Even  the  banks  did 
not  deem  it  necessary  to  be  within  a  stone's  throw  of  each  other 
— I  believe  there  were  but  two — as  it  might  be  in  self-defence. 
We  have  seen  all  sorts  of  expedients  adopted,  in  this  sainted 
street,  to  protect  the  money-bags,  from  the  little  temple  that  was 
intended  to  be  so  small  as  only  to  admit  the  dollars  and  those 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  127 

who  were  to  take  care  of  them,  up  to  the  edifice  that  might 
contain  so  many  rogues,  as  to  render  things  safe  on  the  familiar 
principle  of  setting  a  thief  to  catch  a  thief.  All  would  not  do. 
The  difficulty  has  been  found  to  be  unconquerable,  except  in 
those  cases  in  which  the  homely  and  almost  worn-out  expedient 
of  employing  honest  men,  has  been  resorted  to.  But,  to  return 
from  the  gossipings  of  old  age  to  an  agreeable  widow,  who  was 
still  under  forty. 

Mrs.  Bradfort  received  Mr.  Hardinge  in  a  way  to  satisfy  us 
all  that  she  was  delighted  to  see  him.  She  had  prepared  a 
room  for  Rupert  and  myself,  and  no  apologies  or  excuses  would 
be  received.  We  had  to  consent  to  accept  of  her  hospitalities. 
In  an  hour's  time  all  were  established,  and  I  believe  all  were  at 
home. 

I  shall  not  dwell  on  the  happiness  that  succeeded.  We  were 
all  too  young  to  go  to  parties,  and,  I  might  almost  add,  New 
York  itself  was  too  young  to  have  any ;  but  in  the  last  I  should 
have  been  mistaken,  though  there  were  not  as  many  children's 
balls  in  1799,  perhaps,  after  allowing  for  the  difference  in  popu 
lation,  as  there  are  to-day.  If  too  young  to  be  company,  we 
were  not  too  young  to  see  sights.  I  sometimes  laugh  as  I  re 
member  what  these  were  at  that  time.  There  was  such  a  mu 
seum  as  would  now  be  thought  lightly  of  in  a  western  city  of 
fifteen  or  twenty  years'  growth — a  circus  kept  by  a  man  of  the 
name  of  Ricketts — the  theatre  in  John  street,  a  very  modest 
Thespian  edifice — and  a  lion,  I  mean  literally  the  beast,  that 
was  kept  in  a  cage  quite  out  of  town,  that  his  roaring  might 
not  disturb  people,  somewhere  near  the  spot  where  the  triangle 
that  is  called  Franklin  Square  now  is.  All  these  we  saw,  even 
to  the  theatre ;  good,  indulgent  Mr.  Hardinge  seeing  no  harm 
in  letting  us  go  thither  under  the  charge  of  Mrs.  Bradfort.  I 
shall  never  forget  the  ecstasy  of  that  night !  The  novelty  was 
quite  as  great  to  Rupert  and  myself  as  it  was  to  the  girls ;  for 
though  we  had  been  to  China,  we  had  never  been  to  the  play. 

Well  was  it  said,  "  Vanity,  vanity — all  is  vanity  !"  He  that 
lives  as  long  as  I  have  lived,  will  have  seen  most  of  his  opinions, 


128 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 


and  I  think  I  may  add,  all  his  tastes,  change.  Nothing  short 
of  revelation  has  a  stronger  tendency  to  convince  us  of  the 
temporary  character  of  our  probationary  state  in  this  world, 
than  to  note  for  how  short  a  period,  and  for  what  imperfect 
ends,  all  our  hopes  and  success  in  life  have  been  buoying  us  up, 
and  occupying  our  minds.  After  fifty,  the  delusion  begins  to 
give  way;  and,  though  we  may  continue  to  live,  and  even  to  be 
happy,  blind  indeed  must  be  he  who  does  not  see  the  end  of 
his  road,  and  foresee  some  of  the  great  results  to  which  it  is 
to  lead.  But  of  all  this,  our  quartette  thought  little  in  the  year 
1799. 


AFLOAT     AND     ASHORE.  129 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

"Thou  art  the  same  eternal  sea! 
The  earth  hath  many  shapes  and  forms 
Of  hill  and  valley,  flower  and  tree ; 
Fields  that  the  fervid  noontide  warms, 
Or  Winter's  rugged  grasp  deforms, 
Or  bright  with  Autumn's  golden  store ; 
Thou  coverest  up  thy  face  with  storms, 
Or  smilest  serene — but  still  thy  roar 
And  dashing  foam  go  up  to  vex  tho  sea-beat  shore." 

LlTNT. 

I  HAD  a  free  conversation  with  my  guardian,  shortly  after  we 
reached  town,  on  the  subject  of  my  going  to  sea  again.  The 
whole  country  was  alive  with  the  armament  of  the  new  marine; 
and  cocked-hats,  blue  coats  and  white  lappels,  began  to  appear 
in  the  streets,  with  a  parade  that  always  marks  the  new  officer 
and  the  new  service.  Now,  one  meets  distinguished  naval  men 
at  every  turn,  and  sees  nothing  about  their  persons  to  denote 
the  profession,  unless -in  actual  employment  afloat,  even  the 
cockade  being  laid  aside;  whereas  in  1799  the  harness  was  put 
on  as  soon  as  the  parchment  was  received,  and  only  laid  aside 
to  turn  in.  Ships  were  building  or  equipping  in  all  parts  of  the 
country ;  and  it  is  matter  of  surprise  to  me  that  I  escaped  the 
fever,  and  did  not  apply  to  be  made  a  midshipman.  Had  I  seen 
another  captain  who  interested  me  as  much  as  Captain  Dale,  I 
make  no  doubt  my  career  would  have  been  quite  different;  but, 
as  things  were,  I  had  imbibed  the  prejudice  that  Southey,  in  his 
very  interesting,  but,  in  a  professional  sense,  very  worthless,  Life 
of  Nelson,  has  attributed  to  that  hero — "  aft,  the  more  honor ; 
forward,  the  better  man."  Thus  far,  I  had  not  got  into  the  cabin 
windows,  and,  like  all  youngsters  who  fairly  begin  on  the  fore 
castle,  felt  proud  of  my  own  manhood  and  disdain  of  hazards 
6* 


130  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

and  toil.  I  determined,  therefore,  to  pursue  the  course  I  had 
originally  pointed  out  to  myself,  and  follow  in  the  footsteps  of 
my  father. 

Privateers  were  out  of  the  question  in  a  war  with  a  country 
that  had  no  commerce.  Nor  do  I  think  I  would  have  gone  in 
a  privateer  under  any  circumstances.  The  business  of  carrying 
on  a  warfare  merely  for  gain,  has  ever  struck  me  as  discreditable; 
though  it  must  be  admitted  the  American  system  of  private- 
armed  cruisers  has  always  been  more  respectable  and  better  con 
ducted  than  that  of  most  other  nations.  This  has  been  owing 
to  the  circumstance  that  men  of  a  higher  class  than  is  usual  in 
Europe,  have  embarked  in  the  enterprises.  To  a  letter-of- 
marque,  however,  there  could  be  no  objection ;  her  regular  busi 
ness  is  commerce ;  she  arms  only  in  self-defence,  or,  if  she  capture 
any  thing,  it  is  merely  such  enemies  as  cross  her  path,  and  who 
would  capture  her  if  they  could.  I  announced  to  Mr.  Ilardinge, 
therefore,  my  determination  not  to  return  to  Clawbonny,  but 
to  look  for  a  berth  in  some  letter-of-marque,  while  then  in  town. 

Neb  had  received  private  instructions,  and  my  sea  dunnage, 
as  well  as  his  own,  was  on  board  the  Wallingford — low  enough 
the  wreck  had  reduced  both  to  be — and  money  obtained  from 
Mr.  Hardinge  was  used  to  purchase  more.  I  now  began  to  look 
about  me  for  a  ship,  determined  to  please  my  eye  as  to  the 
vessel,  and  my  judgment  as  to  the  voyage.  Neb  had  orders  to 
follow  the  wharves  on  the  same  errand.  I  would  sooner  trust 
Neb  than  Rupert  on  such  a  duty.  The  latter  had  no  taste  for 
ships ;  felt  no.  interest  in  them ;  and  I  have  often  wondered 
why  he  took  a  fancy  to  go  to  sea  at  all.  With  Neb  it  was  very 
different.  He  was  already  an  expert  seaman ;  could  hand,  reef 
and  steer,  knot  and  splice,  and  was  as  useful  as  nine  men  in  ten 
on  board  a  vessel.  It  is  true,  he  did  not  know  when  it  became 
necessary  to  take  in  the  last  reef — had  no  notion  of  stowing  a 
cargo  so  as  to  favor  the  vessel,  or  help  her  sailing ;  but  he  would 
break  out  a  cask  sooner  than  most  men  I  ever  met  with.  There 
was  too  much  "  nigger"  in  him  for  head-work  of  that  sort, 
though  he  was  ingenious  and  ready  enougb^in  his  way.  A  ster- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  131 

ling  fellow  was  Neb,  and  I  got  in  time  to  love  him  very  much 
as  I  can  conceive  one  would  love  a  brother. 

One  day,  after  I  had  seen  all  the  sights,  and  had  begun  to 
think  seriously  of  finding  a  ship,  I  was  strolling  along  the 
wharves  on  the  latter  errand,  when  I  heard  a  voice  I  knew  cry 
out,  "There,  Captain  Williams,  there's  just  your  chap;  he'll- 
make  as  good  a  third  mate  as  can  be  found  in  all  America."  I 
had  a  sort  of  presentiment  this  applied  to  me,  though  I  could 
not,  on  the  instant,  recall  the  speaker's  name.  Turning  to  look 
in  the  direction  of  the  sounds,  I  saw  the  hard  countenance  of 
Marble,  alongside  the  weather-beaten  face  of  a  middle-aged 
shipmaster,  both  of  whom  were  examining  me  over  the  nettings 
of  a  very  promising-looking  armed  merchantman.  I  bowed  to 
Mr.  Marble,  who  beckoned  me  to  come  on  board,  where  I  was 
regularly  introduced  to  the  master. 

This  vessel  was  called  the  Ciisis,  a  very  capital  name  for  a 
craft  in  a  country  where  crisises  of  one  sort  or  another  occur 
regularly  as  often  as  once  in  six  months.  She  was  a  tight  little 
ship  of  about  four  hundred  tons,  had  hoop-pole  bulwarks,  as  I 
afterward  learned,  with  nettings  for  hammocks  and  old  junk, 
principally  the  latter ;  and  showed  ten  nine-pounders,  carriage- 
guns,  in  her  batteries.  I  saw  she  was  loaded,  and  was  soon 
given  to  understand  that  her  shipping-articles  were  then  open, 
and  the  serious  question  was  of  procuring  a  third  mate.  Officers 
were  scarce,  so  many  young  men  were  pressing  into  the  navy; 
and  Mr.  Marble  ventured  to  recommend  me,  from  near  a  twelve 
month's  knowledge  of  my  character.  I  had  not  anticipated  a 
berth  aft  quite  so  soon,  and  yet  I  had  a  humble  confidence  in 
my  own  ability  to  discharge  the  duty.  Captain  Williams  ques 
tioned  me  for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  had  a  short  conversa 
tion  with  Mr.  Marble  alone,  and  then  frankly  offered  me  the 
berth.  The  voyage  was  to  be  round  the  world,  and  it  took  my 
fancy  at  the  very  sound.  The  ship  was  to  take  a  cargo  of  flour 
to  England ;  there,  she  was  to  receive  a  small  assorted  cargo 
for  the  north-west  coast,  and  some  of  the  sandal-wood  islands ; 
after  disposing  of  her  toys  and  manufactures  in  barter,  she  was 


132  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

to  sail  for  Canton,  exchange  her  furs,  wood,  and  other  articles  foi 
teas,  etc.,  and  return  home.  To  engage  in  this  voyage,  I  was 
offered  the  berth  I  have  mentioned,  and  thirty  dollars  a  mouth. 
The  wages  were  of  little  moment  to  me,  but  the  promotion  and 
the  voyage  were  of  great  account.  The  ship,  too,  carried  out  let 
ters  of  marque  and  reprisal  with  her,  and  there  were  the  chances 
of  meeting  some  Frenchman  in  the  European  waters,  at  least. 

I  examined  the  vessel,  the  berth  I  was  to  occupy,  made  a 
great  many  shy  glances  at  the  captain,  to  ascertain  his  charac 
ter  by  that  profound  expedient,  analyzing  his  looks,  and  finally 
determined  to  ship,  on  condition  Neb  should  be  taken  as  an 
ordinary  seaman.  As  soon  as  Marble  heard  this  last  proposal, 
he  explained  the  relation  in  which  the  black  stood  to  me,  and 
earnestly  advised  his  being  received  as  a  seaman.  The  arrange 
ment  was  made  accordingly,  and  I  went  at  once  to  the  notary 
and  signed  the  articles.  Neb  was  also  found,  and  he  was  ship 
ped  too  ;  this  time  regularly,  Mr.  Hardinge  attending  and  giving 
his  sanction  to  what  was  done.  The  worthy  divine  was  in  ex 
cellent  spirits,  for  that  very  day  he  had  made  an  aiTangement 
•with  a  friend  at  the  bar  to  place  Rupert  in  his  office,  Mrs. 
Bradfort  insisting  on  keeping  her  young  kinsman  in  her  house, 
as  a  regular  inmate.  This  left  on  the  father  no  more  charge 
than  to  furnish  Rupert  with  clothes,  and  a  few  dollars  of  pocket 
money.  But  I  knew  Rupert  too  well  to  suppose  he  would,  or 
could,  be  content  with  the  little  he  might  expect  from  the  sav 
ings  of  Mr.  Hardinge.  I  was  not  in  want  of  money.  My 
guardian  had  supplied  me  so  amply,  that  not  only  had  I  paid 
my  debt  to  the  owners  of  the  John,  and  fully  equipped  myself 
for  the  voyage,  but  I  actually  possessed  dollars  enough  to  sup 
ply  all  my  probable  wants  during  the  expected  absence.  Many 
of  the  officers  and  men  of  the  Crisis  left  behind  them  orders 
with  their  wives  and  families  to  receive  their  wages,  in  part, 
during  their  absence,  as  letters  from  time  to  time  apprised  the 
owners  that  these  people  were  on  board,  and  in  discharge  of 
their  several  duties.  I  determined  on  giving  Rupert  the  benefit 
of  such  an  arrangement.  First  presenting  him  with  twenty 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  133 

dollars  from  my  own  little  store,  I  took  him  with  me  to  the 
Counting-house,  and  succeeded,  though  not  without  some  diffi 
culty,  in  obtaining  for  my  friend  a  credit  of  twenty  dollars 
a  month,  promising  faithfully  to  repay  any  balance  that  might 
arise  against  me  in  consequence  of  the  loss  of  the  ship,  or  of 
any  accident  to  myself.  This  I  was  enabled  to  do  on  the 
strength  of  my  credit  as  the  owner  of  Clawbonny ;  for,  as  is 
usual  in  these  cases,  I  passed  for  being  much  richer  than  I  really 
was,  though  far  from  being  poor. 

I  will  acknowledge  that,  while  I  felt  no  reluctance  at  making 
this  arrangement  in  favor  of  Rupert,  I  felt  mortified  he  should 
accept  it.  There  are  certain  acts  we  may  all  wish  to  perform, 
and,  yet,  which  bring  regrets  when  successfully  performed.  I 
was  sorry  that  my  friend,  Lucy's  brother,  Grace's  admirer — for 
I  was  quick  enough  in  perceiving  that  Rupert  began  to  enter 
tain  fancies  of  that  sort — had  not  pride  enough  to  cause  him  to 
decline  receiving  money  which  must  be  earned  by  the  sweat  of 
my  brow,  and  this,  moreover,  in  a  mode  of  life  he  had  not  him 
self  sufficient  resolution  to  encounter  a  second  time.  But  he 
accepted  the  offer,  and  there  was  an  end  of  it. 

As  every  thing  was  alive  in  1*798,  the  Crisis  was  ready  to  sail 
in  three  days  after  I  joined  her.  We  hauled  into  the  North 
River,  as  became  the  dignity  of  our  voyage,  and  got  our  crew 
on  board.  On  the  whole,  we  mustered  a  pretty  good  body  of 
men,  ten  of  them  being  green  ;  fellows  who  had  never  seen  the 
ocean,  but  who  were  young,  healthy,  and  athletic,  and  who 
promised  to  be  useful  before  a  great  while.  Including  those  aft, 
we  counted  thirty-eight  souls  on  board.  The  ship  was  got 
ready  in  hopes  of  being  able  to  sail  of  a  Thursday,  for  Captain 
Williams  was  a  thoughtful  man,  and  was  anxious  to  get  the  ship 
fairly  at  sea,  with  the  first  work  done,  previously  to  the  next 
Sabbath.  Some  small  matters,  however,  could  not  be  got 
through  with  in  time ;  and,  as  for  sailing  of  a  Friday,  that  was 
out  of  the  question.  No  one  did  that,  in  1798,  who  could  help 
it.  This  gave  us  a  holiday,  and  I  got  leave  to  pass  the  after 
noon  and  evening  ashore. 


134  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

Rupert,  Grace,  Lucy  and  I  took  a  long  walk  into  the  country 
that  evening;  that  is,  we  went  into  the  fields,  and  along  the 
lanes,  for  some  distance  above  the  present  site  of  Canal  street. 
Lucy  and  I  walked  together  most  of  the  time,  and  we  both  felt 
sad  at  the  idea  of  so  long  a  separation  as  was  now  before  us. 
The  voyage  might  last  three  years;  and  I  should  be  legally  a 
man,  my  own  master,  and  Lucy  a  young  woman  of  near  nine 
teen,  by  that  time.  Terrible  ages  in  perspective  were  these,  and 
which  seemed  to  us  pregnant  with  as  many  changes  as  the  life 
of  a  man. 

"  Rupert  will  be  admitted  to  the  bar  when  I  get  back,"  I  cas 
ually  remarked,  as  we  talked  the  matter  over. 

"  He  will,  indeed,"  the  dear  girl  answered.  "  Now  you  are 
to  go,  Miles,  I  almost  regret  my  brother  is  not  to  be  in  the  ship ; 
you  have  known  each  other  so  long,  love  each  other  so  much, 
and  have  already  gone  through  such  frightful  trials  in  company." 

"  Oh !  I  shall  do  well  enough — there  '11  be  Neb ;  and  as  for 
Rupert,  I  think  he  will  be  better  satisfied  ashore  than  at  sea. 
Rupert  is  a  sort  of  natural  lawyer." 

By  this  I  merely  meant  he  was  good  at  a  subterfuge,  and 
could  tell  his  own  story. 

"  Yes,  but  Neb  is  not  Rupert,  Miles,"  Lucy  answered,  quick 
as  thought,  and  I  fancied  a  little  reproachfully. 

"  Very  true — no  doubt  I  shall  miss  your  brother,  and  that, 
too,  very  much,  at  times ;  but  all  I  meant  in  speaking  of  Neb 
was,  as  you  know,  that  he  and  I  like  each  other,  too,  and  have 
been  through  just  the  same  trials  together,  you  understand,  and 
have  known  each  other  as  long  as  I  can  remember." 

Lucy  was  silent,  and  I  felt  embarrassed  and  a  little  at  a  loss 
what  to  say  next.  But  a  girl  approaching  sixteen,  and  who  is 
with  a  youth  who  possesses  her  entire  confidence,  is  not  apt  to 
be  long  silent.  Something  she  will  say ;  and  how  often  is  that 
something  warm  with  natural  feeling,  instinct  with  truth,  and 
touching  from  its  confiding  simplicity  ! 

"  You  will  sometimes  think  of  us,  Miles  ?"  was  Lucy's  next 
rejnark,  and  it  was  said  in  a  tone  that  induced  me  to.  look  her 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  135 

full  in  the  face,  when  I  discovered  that  her  eyes  were  suffused 
with  tears. 

"  Of  that  you  may  be  very  certain,  and  I  hope  to  be  rewarded 
in  kind.  But  now  I  think  of  it,  Lucy,  I  have  a  debt  to  pay  you, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  a  little  interest.  Here  are  the  half-joes 
you  forced  me  to  take  last  year,  when  we  parted  at  Clawbonny. 
See,  they  are  exactly  the  same  pieces ;  for  I  would  as  soon  have 
parted  with  a  finger  as  with  one  of  them." 

"  I  had  hoped  they  might  have  been  of  use  to  you,  and  had 
quite  forgotten  them.  You  have  destroyed  an  agreeable  illusion." 

"  Is  it  not  quite  as  agreeable  to  know  we  had  no  occasion  for 
them  ?  No,  here  they  are  ;  and,  now  I  go  with  Mr.  Hardinge's 
full  approbation,  you  very  well  know  I  can  be  in  no  want  of 
money.  So,  there  is  your  gold  ;  and  here,  Lucy,  is  some  inter 
est  for  the  use  of  it." 

I  made  an  effort  to  put  something  into  the  dear  girl's  hand  as 
I  spoke,  but  all  the  strength  I  could  properly  apply  was  not 
equal  to  the  purpose.  So  tightly  did  she  keep  her  little  fin 
gers  compressed,  that  I  could  not  succeed  without  a  downright 
effort  at  force. 

"  No — no — Miles,"  she  said  hurriedly — almost  huskily;  "that 
will  never  do  !  I  am  not  Rupert — you  may  prevail  with  him  ; 
never  with  me!" 

"  Rupert !  What  can  Rupert  have  to  do  with  such  a  thing 
as  this  locket  ?  Youngsters  don't  wear  lockets." 

Lucy's  fingers  separated  as  easily  as  an  infant's,  and  I  put  m} 
little  offering  into  her  hand  without  any  more  resistance.  .  I  was 
sorry,  however,  to  discover  that,  by  some  means  unknown  to  me, 
she  had  become  acquainted  with  the  arrangement  I  had  made 
as  respected  the  twenty  dollars  a  month.  I  afterward  ascer 
tained  that  this  secret  had  leaked  out  through  Neb,  who  had  it 
from  one  of  the  clerks  of  the  counting-house  who  had  visited 
the  ship,  and  repeated  it  to  Mrs.  Bradfort's  black  maid  in  one 
of  his  frequent  visits  to  the  house.  This  is  a  common  channel 
of  information,  though  it  seldom  proves  as  true  as  it  did  in  this 
instance. 


136  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

I  could  see  that  Lucy  was  delighted  with  her  locket.  It  was 
a  very  pretty  ornament,  in  the  first  place,  and  it  had  her  own 
hair,  that  of  Grace,  Rupert,  and  my  own,  very  prettily  braided 
together,  so  as  to  form  a  wreath,  made  like  a  rope,  or  a  grum 
met,  encircling  a  combination  of  letters  that  included  all  our 
initials.  In  this  there  was  nothing  that  was  particular,  while 
there  was  much  that  was  affectionate.  Had  I  not  consulted 
Grace  on  the  subject,  it  is  possible  I  should  have  been  less  cau 
tious,  though  I  declare  I  had  no  thought  of  making  love.  All 
this  time  I  fancied  I  felt  for,  and  trusted  Lucy  as  another  sister. 
I  was  shrewd  enough  to  detect  Rupert's  manner  and  feeling  to 
ward  my  own  sister,  and  I  felt  afraid  it  was,  or  soon  would  be, 
fully  reciprocated ;  but  as  to  imagining  myself  in  love  with 
Lucy  Hardinge,  or  any  one  else,  the  thought  never  crossed  my 
mind,  though  the  dear  girl  herself  so  often  did ! 

I  saw  Lucy's  smile,  and  I  could  not  avoid  noticing  the  man 
ner  in  which,  once  or  twice,  unconsciously  to  herself,  I  do  be 
lieve,  this  simple-minded,  sincere  creature,  pressed  the  hand 
which  retained  the  locket  to  her  heart ;  and  'yet  it  made  no 
very  lively  impression  on  my  imagination  at  the  time.  The 
conversation  soon  changed,  and  we  began  to  converse  of  other 
things.  I  have  since  fancied  that  Grace  had  left  us  alone  in 
order  that  I  might  return  the  half-joes  to  Lucy,  and  offer  the 
locket ;  for,  looking  round  and  seeing  the  latter  in  its  new  own 
er's  hand,  while  Lucy  was  bestowing  on  it  one  of  the  hundred 
glances  of  grateful  pleasure  it  received  that  afternoon,  she  waited 
until  we  came  up,  when  she  took  my  arm,  remarking,  as  this 
was  to  be  our  last  evening  together,  she  must  come  in  for  her 
share  of  the  conversation.  Now,  I  solemnly  affirm  that  this  was 
the  nearest  approach  to  any  thing  like  a  love-scene  that  had 
ever  passed  between  Lucy  Hardinge  and  myself. 

I  would  gladly  pass  over  the  leave-taking,  and  shall  say  but 
little  about  it.  Mr.  Hardinge  called  me  into  his  room,  when  we 
got  back  to  the  house.  He  spoke  earnestly  and  solemnly  to  me, 
recalling  to  my  mind  many  of  his  early  and  more  useful  pre 
cepts.  He  then  kissed  me,  gave  me  his  blessing,  and  promised 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  137 

to  remember  me  in  his  prayers.  As  I  left  him,  and  I  believe  he 
went  on  his  knees  as  soon  as  my  back  was  turned,  Lucy  was 
waiting  for  me  in  the  passage.  She  was  in  tears,  and  paler  than 
common,  but  her  mind  seemed  made  up  to  sustain  a  great  sac 
rifice  like  a  woman.  She  put  a  small,  but  exceedingly  neat 
copy  of  the  Bible  into  my  hand,  and  uttered,  as  well  as  emo 
tion  would  permit — "  There,  Miles ;  that  is  my  keepsake.  I  do 
not  ask  you  to  think  of  me  when  you  read ;  but  think  of  God." 
She  then  snatched  a  kiss,  and  flew  into  her  room  and  locked  the 
door.  Grace  was  below,  and  she  wept  on  my  neck  like  a  child, 
kissing  me  again  and  again,  and  calling  me  "  her  brother — her 
dear,  her  only  brother."  I  was  obliged  actually  to  tear  myself 
away  from  Grace.  Rupert  went  with  me  to  the  ship,  and  passed 
an  hour  or  two  on  board.  As  we  crossed  the  threshold,  I  heard 
a  window  open  above  my  head,  and,  looking  up,  I  saw  Lucy, 
with  streaming  eyes,  leaning  forward  to  say,  "  Write,  Miles — 
write  as  often  as  you  possibly  can." 

Man  must  be  a  stern  being  by  nature,  to  be  able  to  tear  him 
self  from  such  friends,  in  order  to  encounter  enemies,  hardships, 
dangers  and  toil,  and  all  without  any  visible  motive.  Such  was 
my  case,  however,  for  I  wanted  not  for  a  competency,  or  for 
most  of  those  advantages  which  might  tempt  one  to  abandon 
the  voyage.  Of  such  a  measure,  the  possibility  never  crossed 
my  mind.  I  believed  that  it  was  just  as  necessary  for  me  to 
remain  third  mate  of  the  Crisis,  and  to  stick  by  the  ship  while 
she  would  float,  as  Mr.  Adams  thinks  it  necessary  for  him  to 
present  abolition  petitions  to  a  Congress  which  will  not  receive 
them.  We  both  of  us,  doubtless,  believed  ourselves  the  victims 
of  fate. 

We  sailed  at  sunrise,  wind  and  tide  favoring.  We  had  an 
chored  off  Courtlandt  street,  and  as  the  ship  swept  past  the 
Battery  I  saw  Rupert,  who  had  only  gone  ashore  in  the  pilot's 
boat  at  daylight,  with  two  females,  watching  our  movements. 
The  girls  did  not  dare  to  wave  their  handkerchiefs ;  but  what 
cared  I  for  that  ?  1  knew  that  their  good  wishes,  kind  wishes, 
tender  wishes,  went  with  me ;  and  this  little  touch  of  affection, 


138  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

which  woman  knows  so  well  how  to  manifest,  made  me  both 
happy  and  sad  for  the  remainder  of  the  day. 

The  Crisis  was  an  unusually  fast  ship,  faster  even  than  the 
Tigris ;  coppered  to  the  bends,  copper-fastened,  and  with  a  live- 
oak  frame.  No  better  craft  sailed  out  of  the  republic.  Unclo 
Sam  had  tried  to  purchase  her  for  one  of  his  new  navy ;  but 
the  owners,  having  this  voyage  in  view,  refused  his  tempting 
offers.  She  was  no  sooner  under  her  canvas,  than  all  hands  of 
us  perceived  we  were  in  a  traveller ;  and  glad  enough  were  we 
to  be  certain  of  the  fact,  for  we  had  a  long  road  before  us. 
This,  too,  was  with  the  wind  free,  and  in  smooth  water;  whereas 
those  who  knew  the  vessel  asserted  her  forte  was  on  a  bowline 
and  in  a  sea — that  is  to  say,  she  would  sail  relatively  faster  than 
most  other  craft,  under  the  latter  circumstances. 

There  was  a  strange  pleasure  to  me,  notwithstanding  all  I  had 
suffered  previously,  all  the  risks  I  had  run,  and  all  I  had  left 
behind  me,  in  finding  myself  once  more  on  the  broad  ocean.  As 
for  Neb,  the  fellow  was  fairly  enraptured.  So  quickly  and  in 
telligently  did  he  obey  his  orders,  that  he  won  a  reputation  be 
fore  we  crossed  the  bar.  The  smell  of  the  ocean  seemed  to  im 
bue  him  with  a  species  of  nautical  inspiration,  and  even  I  was 
astonished  with  his  readiness  and  activity.  As  for  myself,  I 
was  every  way  at  home.  Very  different  was  this  exit  from  the 
port  from  that  of  the  previous  year.  Then  every  thing  was 
novel,  and  not  a  little  disgusting.  Now  I  had  little,  almost 
nothing,  to  learn — literally  nothing,  I  might  have  said,  were  it 
not  that  every  shipmaster  has  certain  ways  of  his  own,  that  it 
behooves  all  his  subordinates  to  learn  as  quickly  as  possible. 
Then  I  lived  aft,  where  we  not  only  had  plates,  and  table-cloths, 
and  tumblers,  and  knives  and  forks,  but  comparatively  clean 
articles  of  the  sort.  I  say  comparatively,  the  two  other  degrees 
being  usually  wanting  in  north-west  traders. 

The  Crisis  went  to  sea  with  a  lively  breeze  at  south-west,  the 
wind  shifting  after  she  had  got  into  the  lower  bay.  There  were 
a  dozen  sail  of  us  altogether,  and  in  our  little  fleet  were  two  of 
Uncle  Sam's  men,  who  felt  disposed  to  try  their  hands  with  us. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  139 

We  crossed  the  bar,  all  three  of  us,  within  a  cable's  length  of 
each  other,  and  made  sail  in  company,  with  the  wind  a  trifle 
abaft  the  beam.  Just  as  Navesink  disappeared,  our  two  men- 
of-war,  merchantmen  altered,  hauled  up  on  bowlines,  and  jogged 
off  toward  the  West  Indies,  being  at  the  time  about  a  league 
astern  of  us.  This  success  put  us  all  in  high  good-humor,  and 
had  such  an  effect  on  Marble  in  particular,  that  he  began  to  give 
it  as  his  opinion  that  our  only  superiority  over  them  would  not 
be  found  confined  to  sailing  on  an  experiment.  It  is  very  con 
venient  to  think  favorably  of  one's  self,  and  it  is  certainly  com 
fortable  to  entertain  the  same  notion  as  respects  one's  ship. 

I  confess  to  a  little  awkwardness  at  first,  in  acting  as  an  offi 
cer.  I  was  young,  and  commanded  men  old  enough  to  be  my 
father — regular  sea-dogs,  who  were  as  critical  in  all  that  related 
to  the  niceties  of  the  calling,  as  the  journalist  who  is  unable  to 
appreciate  the  higher  qualities  of  a  book  is  hypercritical  on  its 
minor  faults.  But  a  few  days  gave  me  confidence,  and  I  soon 
found  I  was  obeyed  as  readily  as  the  first  mate.  A  squall  struck 
the  ship  in  my  watch  about  a  fortnight  out,  and  I  succeeded  in 
getting  in  sail  and  saving  every  thing,  canvas  and  spars,  in  a 
way  that  did  me  infinite  service  aft.  Captain  Williams  spoke  to 
me  on  the  subject,  commending  the  orders  I  had  given,  and  the 
coolness  with  which  they  had  been  issued  ;  for,  as  I  afterward  un 
derstood,  he  remained  some  time  in  the  companion-way,  keeping 
the  other  two  mates  back,  though  all  hands  had  been  calledt  in 
order  to  see  how  I  could  get  along  by  myself  in  such  a  strait. 
On  this  occasion,  I  never  saw  a  human  being  exert  himself  like 
Neb.  He  felt  that  my  honor  was  concerned.  I  do  really  think 
the  fellow  did  two  men's  duty  the  whole  time  the  squall  lasted. 
Until  this  little  incident  occurred,  Captain  Williams  was  in  the 
habit  of  coming  on  deck  to  examine  the  heavens,  and  see  how 
things  were  getting  on  in  my  night-watches;  but,  after  this, 
he  paid  no  more  visits  of  this  sort  to  me  than  he  paid  to  Mr. 
Marble.  I  had  been  gratified  by  his  praises;  but  this  quiet 
mode  of  showing  confidence  gave  me  more  happiness  than  I 
can  express. 


140  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

We  had  a  long  passage  out,  the  wind  hanging  to  the  east 
ward  near  three  weeks.  At  length  we  got  moderate  southerly 
breezes,  and  began  to  travel  on  our  course.  Twenty-four  hours  af 
ter  we  had  got  the  fair  wind,  T  had  the  morning-watch,  and  made, 
as  the  day  dawned,  a  sail  directly  abeam  of  us,  to  windward,  about 
three  leagues  distant,  or  just  hull  down.  I  went  into  the  main 
top,  and  examined  her  with  a  glass.  She  was  a  ship  seemingly 
of  about  our  own  size,  and  carrying  every  thing  that  would 
draw.  I  did  not  send  word  below  until  it  was  broad  daylight, 
or  for  near  half  an  hour ;  and  in  all  that  time  her  bearings  did 
not  vary  any  perceptible  distance. 

Just  as  the  sun  rose,  the  captain  and  chief  mate  made  their 
appearance  on  deck.  At  first  they  agreed  in  supposing  the 
stranger  a  stray  English  West  Indiaman,  bound  home ;  for  at 
that  time  few  merchant  vessels  were  met  at  sea  that  were  not 
English  or  American.  The  former  usually  sailed  in  convoys, 
however ;  and  the  captain  accounted  for  the  circumstance  that 
this  was  not  thus  protected,  by  the  fact  of  her  sailing  so  fast. 
She  might  be  a  letter-of-marque,  like  ourselves,  and  vessels  of 
that  character  did  not  take  convoy.  As  the  two  vessels  lay  ex 
actly  abeam  of  each  other,  with  square  yards,  it  was  not  easy  to 
judge  of  the  sparring  of  the  stranger,  except  by  means  of  his 
masts.  Marble,  judging  by  the  appearance  of  his  topsails,  be 
gan  to  think  our  neighbor  might  be  a  Frenchman,  he  had  so 
much  hoist  to  the  sails.  After  some  conversation  on  the  sub 
ject,  the  captain  ordered  me  to  brace  forward  the  yards,  as  far 
as  our  studding-stails  would  allow,  and  to  luff  nearer  -to  the 
stranger.  While  the  ship  was  thus  changing  her  course,  the 
day  advanced,  and  our  crew  got  their  breakfast. 

As  a  matter  of  course,  the  strange  ship,  which  kept  on  the 
same  line  of  sailing  as  before,  drew  ahead  of  us  a  little,  while  we 
neared  her  sensibly.  In  the  course  of  three  hours  we  were 
within  a  league  of  her,  but  well  on  her  lee-quarter.  Marble 
now  unhesitatingly  pronounced  her  to  be  a  Frenchman,  there 
being  no  such  thing  as  mistaking  the  sails.  To  suppose  an 
Englishman  would  go  to  sea  with  such  triangles  of  royals,  he 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  141 

held  to  be  entirely  out  of  the  question ;  and  then  he  referred 
to  me  to  know  if  I  did  not  remember  the  brig  "  we  had  licked 
in  the  West  Indies,  last  v'y'ge,  which  had  jnst  such  r'yals  as  the 
chap  up  there  to  windward  ?"  I  could  see  the  resemblance, 
certainly,  and  had  remarked  the  same  peculiarity  in  the  few 
French  vessels  I  had  seen. 

Under  all  the  circumstances,  Captain  Williams  determined  to 
get  on  the  weather-quarter  of  our  neighbor,  and  take  a  still 
nearer  look  at  him.  That  he  was  armed,  we  could  see  already  ; 
and,  as  near  as  we  could  make  out,  he  carried  twelve  guns,  or 
just  two  more  than  we  did  ourselves.  All  this  was  encourag 
ing ;  sufficiently  so,  at  least,  to  induce  us  to  make  a  much 
closer  examination  than  we  had  yet  done. 

It  took  two  more  hours  to  bring  the  Crisis,  fast  as  she  sailed, 
on  the  weather-quarter  of  her  neighbor,  distant  about  a  mile. 
Here  our  observations  were  much  more  to  the  purpose,  and 
even  Captain  Williams  pronounced  the  stranger  to  be  a  French 
man,  "  and,  no  doubt,  a  letter-of-marque,  like  ourselves."  He 
had  just  uttered  these  words,  when  we  saw  the  other  vessel's 
studding-sails  coming  down,  her  royals  and  topgallant -sails 
clewing  up,  and  all  the  usual  signs  of  her  stripping  for  a  fight. 
We  had  set  our  ensign  early  in  the  day,  but,  as  yet,  had  got  no 
answering  symbol  of  nationality  from  the  chase.  As  soon  as 
she  had  taken  in  all  her  light  canvas,  however,  she  clewed  up 
her  courses,  fired  a  gun  to  windward,  and  hoisted  the  French  tri 
color,  the  most  graceful  flag  among  the  emblems  of  Christen 
dom,  but  one  that  has  been  as  remarkably  unsuccessful  in  the 
deeds  it  has  witnessed  on  the  high  seas,  as  it  has  been  re 
markable  for  the  reverse  on  land.  The  .French  have  not  been 
wanting  in  excellent  sailors — gallant  seamen,  too ;  but  the  re 
sults  of  their  exploits  afloat  have  ever  borne  a  singular  dispro 
portion  to  the  means  employed — a  few  occasional  exceptions 
just  going  to  prove  that  the  causes  have  been  of  a  character  as 
peculiar,  as  these  results  have,  in  nearly  all  ages,  been  uniform. 
I  have  heard  the  want  of  success  in  maritime  exploits,  among 
the  French,  attributed  to  a  want  of  sympathy,  in  the  nation, 


142  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

with  maritime  things.  Others,  again,  have  supposed  that  the 
narrow  system  of  preferring  birth  to  merit,  which  pervaded  the 
whole  economy  of  the  French  marine,  as  well  as  of  its  army, 
previously  to  the  Revolution,  could  not  fail  to  destroy  the  for 
mer,  inasmuch  as  a  man  of  family  would  not  consent  to  undergo 
the  toil  and  hardships  that  are  unavoidable  to  the  training  of 
the  true  seaman.  This  last  reason,  however,  can  scarcely  be  the 
true  one,  as  the  young  English  noble  has  often  made  the  most 
successful  naval  officer ;  and  the  marine  of  France,  in  1798,  had 
surely  every  opportunity  of  perfecting  itself,  by  downright 
practice,  uninjured  by  favoritism,  as  that  of  America.  For  my 
self,  though  I  have  now  reflected  on  the  subject  for  years,  I  can 
come  to  no  other  conclusion  than  that  national  character  has 
some  very  important  agenc}T — or,  perhaps,  it  might  be  safer  to 
say,  has  had  some  very  important  agency — through  some  cause 
or  other,  in  disqualifying  France  from  becoming  a  great  naval 
power,  in  the  sense  of  skill ;  in  that  of  mere  force,  so  great  a 
nation  must  always  be  formidable.  Now  she  sends  her  princes 
to  sea,  however,  we  may  look  for  different  results. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  an  Englishman,  or  an  Ameri 
can,  rarely  went  alongside  of  a  Frenchman,  in  1798,  without  a 
strong  moral  assurance  of  victory,  he  was  sometimes  disap 
pointed.  There  was  no  lack  of  courage  in  their  enemies,  and 
it  occasionally  happened  that  there  was  no  lack  of  skill.  Every 
manifestation  that  the  experience  of  our  captain  could  detect, 
went  to  show  that  we  had  fallen  in  with  one  of  these  exceptions. 
As  we  drew  nearer  to  our  enemy,  we  perceived  that  he  was  act 
ing  like  a  seaman.  His  sails  had  been  furled  without  haste  or 
confusion ;  an  infallible  evidence  of  coolness  and  discipline  when 
done  on  the  eve  of  battle,  and  signs  that  the  watchful  seaman, 
on  such  occasions,  usually  notes  as  unerring  indications  of  the 
sort  of  struggle  that  awaits  him.  It  was  consequently  under 
stood,  among  us  on  the  quarter-deck,  that  we  were  likely  to 
have  a  warm  day's  work  of  it.  Nevertheless,  we  had  gone  too 
far  to  retreat  without  an  effort,  and  we  began,  in  our  turn,  to 
fihorten  sail,  in  readiness  for  the  combat.  Marble  was  a  prince 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  143 

of  a  fellow,  when  it  came  to  any  thing  serious.  I  never  saw 
him  shorten  sail  so  coolly  and  readily  as  he  did  that  very  day. 
We  had  every  thing  ready  in  ten  minutes  after  we  began. 

It  was  rare,  indeed,  to  see  two  letters-of-marque  set  to  as 
coolly  and  as  scientifically  as  were  the  facts  with  the  Crisis  and 
la  Dame  de  Nantes ;  for  so,  as  we  afterward  ascertained,  was 
our  antagonist  called.  Neither  party  aimed  at  any  great  advan 
tage  by  maneuvering ;  but  we  came  up  alongside  of  ':  The 
Lady,"  as  our  men  subsequently  nicknamed  the  Frenchman,  the 
two  vessels  delivering  their  broadsides  nearly  at  the  same 
instant.  I  was  stationed  on  the  forecastle,  in  charge  of  the  head- 
sheets,  with  orders  to  attend  generally  to  the  braces  and  tht; 
rigging,  using  a  musket  in  moments  that  were  not  ouu>*  iso 
employed.  Away  went  both  my  jib-sheet  blocks  at  the  begin 
ning,  giving  me  a  very  pretty  job  from  the  outset.  This  was 
but  the  commencement  of  trouble ;  for,  during  the  two  hours 
and  a  half  that  we  lay  battering  la  Dame  de  Nantes,  and  she 
lay  battering  us,  I  had  really  so  much  to  attend  to  in  the  way 
of  reeving,  knotting,  splicing,  and  turning  in  afresh,  that  I  had 
scarcely  a  minute  to  look  about  me,  in  order  to  ascertain  how 
the  day  was  going.  I  fired  my  musket  but  twice.  The  glimpses 
I  did  manage  to  take  were  far  from  satisfactory,  however ;  sev 
eral  of  our  people  being  killed  or  wounded,  one  gun  fairly  crip 
pled  by  a  shot,  and  our  rigging  in  a  sad  plight.  The  only  thing 
encouraging  was  Neb's  shout,  the  fellow  making  it  a  point  to 
roar  almost  as  loud  as  his  gun,  at  each  discharge. 

It  was  evident  from  the  first  that  the  Frenchman  had  nearly 
twice  as  many  men  as  we  carried.  This  rendered  any  attempt 
at  boarding  imprudent,  and,  in  the  way  of  pounding,  our  pros 
pects  were  by  no  means  flattering.  At  length  I  heard  a  rushing 
sound  over  my  head,  and,  looking  up,  I  saw  that  the  main-top 
mast,  with  the  yards  and  sails,  had  come  down  on  the  fore- 
braces,  and  might  shortly  be  expected  on  deck.  At  this  point, 
Captain  Williams  ordered  all  hands  from  the  guns  to  clear  the 
wreck.  At  the  same  instant,  our  antagonist,  with  a  degree  of 
complaisance  that  I  could  have  hugged  him  for,  ceased  firing 


144  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

also.  Both  sides  seemed  to  think  it  was  very  foolish  for  two 
merchantmen  to  lie  within  a  cable's  length  of  each  other,  trying 
which  could  do  the  other  the  most  harm ;  and  both  sides  set 
about  the,  by  this  time,  very  necessary  duty  of  repairing  damages. 
While  this  was  going  on,  the  men  at  the  wheel,  by  a  species  of 
instinctive  caution,  did  their  whole  duty.  The  Crisis  luffed  all 
she  was  able,  while  la  Dame  de  Nantes  edged  away  all  she  very 
conveniently  could,  placing  more  than  a  mile  of  blue  water  be 
tween  the  two  vessels,  before  we,  who  were  at  work  aloft,  were 
aware  they  were  so  decidedly  running  on  diverging  lines. 

It  was  night  before  we  got  our  wreck  clear ;  and  then  we  had  to 
look  about  us,  to  get  out  spare  spars,  fit  them,  rig  them,  point 
them,  and  sway  them  aloft.  The  last  operation,  however,  was  defer 
red  until  morning.  As  it  was,  the  day's  work  had  been  hard,  and 
the  people  really  wanted  rest.  Rest  was  granted  them  at  eight 
o'clock ;  at  which  hour,  our  late  antagonist  was  visible  about  a 
league  distant,  the  darkness  beginning  to  envelop  her.  In  the 
morning  the  horizon  was  clear,  owing  to  the  repulsion  which 
existed  in  so  much  force  between  the  two  vessels.  It  was  not 
our  business  to  trouble  ourselves  about  the  fate  of  our  adversary, 
but  to  take  heed  of  our  own.  That  morning  we  got  up  our 
spars,  crossed  the  yards,  and  made  sail  again.  We  had  several 
days'  work  in  repairing  all  our  damages ;  but,  happening  to  be 
found  for  a  long  voyage,  and  well  found,  too,  by  the  end  of  a 
week  the  Crisis  was  in  as  good  order  as  if  we  had  not  fought  a 
battle.  As  for  the  combat,  it  was  one  of  those  in  which  either 
side  might  claim  the  victory,  or  not,  as  it  suited  tastes.  We 
had  very  ingenious  excuses  for  our  failure,  however ;  and  I  make 
no  doubt  the  French  were  just  as  ready,  in  this  way,  as  we  were 
ourselves. 

Our  loss  in  this  engagement  amounted  to  two  men  killed 
outright,  and  to  seven  wounded,  two  of  whom  died  within  a 
few  days.  The  remaining  wounded  all  recovered,  though  the 
second  mate,  who  was  one  of  them,  I  believe  never  got  to  be 
again  the  man  he  had  been.  A  canister-shot  lodged  near  his 
hip,  and  the  creature  we  had  on  board  as  a  surgeon  was  not  tho 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  145 

hero  to  extract  it.  In  that  day,  the  country  was  not  so  very 
well  provided  with  medical  men  on  the  land,  as  to  spare  many 
good  ones  to  the  sea.  In  the  new  navy,  it  was  much  the  fash 
ion  to  say,  "  if  you  want  a  leg  amputated,  send  for  the  car 
penter  ;  he  does  know  how  to  use  a  saw,  while  it  is  question 
able  whether  the  doctor  knows  how  to  use  any  thing."  Times, 
however,  are  greatly  altered  in  this  respect ;  the  gentlemen  who 
now  compose  this  branch  of  the  service  being  not  only  worthy 
of  commendation  for  their  skill  and  services,  but  worthy  of 
the  graduated  rank  which  I  see  they  are  just  now  asking  of 
the  justice  of  their  country,  and  which,  as  that  country  ordi 
narily  administers  justice,  I  am  much  afraid  they  will  ask  ia 
vain. 


146  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

"If  we 

Cannot  defend  our  own  door  from  the  dog, 
Let  us  be  worried ;  and  our  nation  lose 
The  name  of  hardiness,  and  policy." 

HENKY  V. 

THE  combat  between  the  Crisis  and  la  Dame  de  Nantes  took 
place  in  42°  37'  12"  north  latitude,  and  34°  16'  43"  west  longi 
tude,  from  Greenwich.  This  was  very  near  the  centre  of  the 
northern  Atlantic,  and  gave  us  ample  time  to  get  our  ship  in 
good  condition  before  we  drew  in  with  the  land.  Shortly  after 
the  affair,  the  wind  came  out  light  at  north-east,  forcing  us  down 
nearer  to  the  Bay  of  Biscay  than  was  at  all  convenient,  when 
bound  to  London.  The  weather  grew  foggy,  too,  which  is  not 
usual  on  the  coast  of  Europe,  with  the  wind  at  east,  and  the 
nights  dark.  Just  a  fortnight  after  the  action,  I  was  awakened 
early  one  morning  by  a  rough  shake  of  the  shoulder  from  Marble, 
who  had  the  watch,  but  who  was  calling  me  at  least  an  hour 
before  the  time.  "  Bear  a  hand  and  turn  out,"  he  said ;  "  I 
want  you  on  deck,  Mr.  Wallingford."  I  obeyed,  of  course,  and 
soon  stood  in  the  presence  of  the  chief  mate,  rubbing  my  eyes 
diligently,  as  if  they  had  to  be  opened  by  friction-. 

It  was  just  six  bells,  or  seven  o'clock,  and  on«  of  the  watch 
was  on  the  point  of  making  the  bell  proclaim  as  much,  when 
Mr.  Marble  ordered  him  not  to  strike  the  hour.  The  weather 
was  thick,  or  rather  foggy,  and  the  wind  light,  with  very  little 
sea  going.  All  this  I  had  time  to  notice,  to  listen  to  the  unu 
sual  order  about  the  bell,  and  to  gape  twice,  before  the  mate 
turned  to  me.  He  seized  my  arm,  carried  me  on  the  lee  side 
C'f  the  quarter-deck,  shook  his  finger  at  a  vacant  spot  in  the 
fog,  and  said — 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  147 

"  Miles,  my  boy,  down  yonder,  within  half  a  mile  of  this  very 
spot,  is  our  friend  the  Frenchman !" 

"  How  is  it  possible  you  can  know  that,  Mr.  Marble  ?"  I  de 
manded  in  surprise. 

"  Because  I  have  seen  him,  with  these  two  good-looking  eyes 
of  mine.  This  fog  opens  and  shuts  like  a  playhouse-curtain, 
and  I  got  a  peep  at  the  chap,  about  ten  minutes  since.  It  was 
a  short  look,  but  it  was  a  sure  one;  I  would  swear  to  the  fel 
low  in  any  admiralty  court  in  Christendom." 

"  And  what  do  you  intend  to  do,  Mr.  Marble  ?  We  found 
him  a  hard  subject  in  clear  weather;  what  can  we  do  with  him 
in  thick  ?" 

"  That  depends  on  the  old  man ;  his  very  natur'  is  overlaid 
by  what  has  happened  already,  and  I  rather  think  he  will  be  for 
a  fresh  skrimmage" — Marble  was  an  uneducated  Kennebunk 
man,  and  by  no  means  particular  about  his  English.  "  There'll 
be  good  picking  in  that  French  gentleman,  Master  Miles,  for 
those  who  come  in  at  the  beginning  of  the  plunder  !" 

The  chief  mate  then  told  me  to  go  below  and  turn  up  all 
hands,  making  as  little  rumpus  about  it  as  possible.  This  T 
did ;  and  when  I  returned  to  the  deck,  I  found  the  fingers  of 
Marble  going  again,  with  Captain  Williams  for  his  auditor,  just 
as  they  had  gone  to  me,  a  few  minutes  earlier.  Being  an  officer, 
I  made  no  scruples  about  joining  the  party.  Marble  was  giving 
his  account  of  the  manner  in  which  he  had  momentarily  seen 
the  enemy,  the  canvas  he  was  under,  the  course  he  was  steering, 
and  the  air  of  security  that  prevailed  about  him.  So  much,  ho 
insisted  he  had  noted,  though  he  saw  the  ship  for  about  twenty 
seconds  only.  All  this,  however,  might  be  true,  for  a  seaman's 
eye  is  quick,  and  he  has  modes  of  his  own  for  seeing  a  great 
deal  in  a  brief  space  of  time.  Marble  now  proposed  that  we 
should  go  to  quarters,  run  alongside  of  the  Frenchman,  pour  in 
a  broadside,  and  board  him  in  the  smoke.  Our  success  would 
be  certain,  could  we  close  with  him  without  being  seen ;  and  it 
would  be  almost  as  certain,  could  we  engage  him  with  our  guns 
by  surprise.  The  chief  mate  was  of  opinion  we  had  dosed  him 


148  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

in  the  other  affair,  in  a  way  to  sicken  him  ;  this  time  we  should 
bring  him  to  with  a  round  turn ! 

The  "  old  man"  was  pleased  with  the  notion,  I  saw  at  a 
glance ;  and  I  confess  it  took  my  fancy  also.  We  all  felt  very 
sore  at  the  result  of  the  other  attempt,  and  here  it  seemed  as  if 
fortune  gave  us  a  good  occasion  for  repairing  the  evil. 

"  There  can  be  no  harm  in  getting  ready,  Mr.  Marble,"  the 
captain  observed ;  "  and  when  we  are  ready  ourselves,  we  shall 
know  better  what  to  think  of  the  matter." 

This  was  no  sooner  said,  than  away  we  went  to  clear  ship. 
Our  task  was  soon  done ;  the  tompions  were  got  out,  the  guns 
cast  loose,  ammunition  was  brought  up,  and  a  stand  of  grape 
was  put  in  over  the  shot  in  every  piece  in  both  batteries.  As 
the  men  were  told  the  motive,  they  worked  like  dray-horses ; 
and  I  do  not  think  we  were  ten  minutes  before  the  ship  was 
ready  to  go  into  action  at  a  moment's  notice. 

All  this  time  Captain  Williams  refused  to  keep  the  ship  away. 
I  believe  he  wanted  to  get  a  look  at  our  neighbor  himself,  for 
he  could  not  but  foresee  what  might  be  the  consequences,  should 
he  run  down  in  the  fog,  and  engage  a  heavier  vessel  than  his 
own,  without  the  ceremony  of  a  hail.  The  sea  was  covered 
with  Englishmen,  and  one  of  their  cruisers  might  not  very 
easily  pardon  such  a  mistake,  however  honestly  made.  But 
preparation  seems  to  infer  a  necessity  for  performance.  When 
every  thing  was  ready,  all  eyes  were  turned  aft  in  a  way  that 
human  nature  could  hardly  endure,  and  the  captain  was  obliged 
to  yield.  As  Marble,  of  all  on  board,  had  alone  seen  the  other 
vessel,  he  was  directed  to  conn  the  Crisis  in  the  delicate  opera 
tion  she  was  about  to  undertake. 

As  before,  my  station  was  on  the  forecastle.  I  had  been  di 
rected  to  keep  a  bright  look-out,  as  the  enemy  would  doubtless 
be  first  seen  from  forward.  The  order  was  unnecessary,  how 
ever,  for  never  did  human  beings  gaze  into  a  fog  more  anxiously 
than  did  all  on  board  our  ship  on  this  occasion.  Calculating  by 
the  distance,  and  the  courses  steered,  we  supposed  ten  or  fifteen 
minutes  would  bring  us  square  alongside  of  Mr.  Marble's  ship ; 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  149 

though  some  among  us  doubted  his  having  seen  any  vessel  at 
ah1.  There  was  about  a  five-knot  breeze,  and  we  had  all  ova 
square  sails  set,  knowing  it  was  necessary  to  go  a  little  faster 
than  our  adversary  to  catch  up  with  him.  The  intense  expecta 
tion,  not  to  say  anxiety,  of  such  a  scene,  is  not  easily  described. 
The  surrounding  fog,  at  times,  seemed  filled  with  ships ;  but  all 
vanished  into  thick  air,  one  after  another,  leaving  nothing  but 
vapor.  Severe  orders  had  been  given  for  no  one  to  call  out,  but, 
the  moment  the  ship  was  seen,  for  the  discoverer  to  go  aft  and 
report.  At  least  a  dozen  men  left  their  quarters  on  this  errand, 
all  returning  in  the  next  instant,  satisfied  they  had  been  deceived. 
Each  moment,  too,  increased  the  expectation ;  for  each  moment 
must  we  be  getting  nearer  and  nearer  to  her,  if  any  vessel  were 
really  there.  Quite  twenty  minutes,  however,  passed  in  this 
manner,  and  no  ship  was  seen.  Marble  continued  cool  and  con 
fident,  but  the  captain  and  second  mate  smiled,  while  the  peo 
ple  began  to  shake  their  heads,  and  roll  the  tobacco  into  their 
cheeks.  As  we  advanced,  our  own  ship  luffed  by  degrees,  until 
we  had  got  fairly  on  our  old  course  again,  or  were  sailing  close 
upon  the  wind.  This  change  was  made  easily,  the  braces  not 
having  been  touched ;  a  precaution  that  was  taken  expressly  to 
give  us  this  advantage.  When  we  found  ourselves  once  more 
close  upon  the  wind,  we  gave  the  matter  up  forward,  supposing 
the  mate  had  been  deceived.  I  saw  by  the  expression  of  the 
captain's  face  that  he  was  about  to  give  the  order  to  secure  the 
guns,  when,  casting  my  eyes  forward,  there  was  a  ship,  sure 
enough,  within  a  hundred  yards  of  us !  I  held  up  both  arms,  as 
I  looked  aft,  and  luckily  caught  the  captain's  eye.  In  an  in 
stant,  he  was  on  the  forecastle. 

It  was  easy  enough  to  see  the  stranger  now.  There  he  was 
in  the  fog,  looking  mystical  and  hazy ;  but  there  he  was,  un 
der  his  main-topgallant-sail,  close-hauled,  and  moving  ahead  in 
all  the  confidence  of  the  solitude  of  the  ocean.  We  could  not 
see  his  hull,  or  so  faintly  as  only  to  distinguish  its  mass ;  but, 
from  his  tops  up,  there  was  no  mistaking  the  objects.  We  had 
shot  away  the  Frenchman's  mizzen-royal-mast.  It  was  a  pole, 


150  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

and  there  the  stump  stood,  just  as  it  was  when  we  had  last  seen 
him  on  the  evening  of  the  day  of  the  combat.  This  left  no 
doubt  of  the  character  of  our  neighbor,  and  it  at  once  deter 
mined  our  course.  As  it  was,  we  were  greatly  outsailing  him, 
but  •  an  order  was  immediately  given  to  set  the  light  staysails. 
As  Captain  Williams  passed  aft,  he  gave  his  orders  to  the  men 
in  the  batteries.  In  the  mean  time  the  second  mate,  who  spoke 
very  good  New  York  French,  came  upon  the  forecastle  in  readi 
ness  to  answer  the  expected  hail.  As  the  Crisis  was  kept  a 
little  free  in  order  to  close,  and  as  she  sailed  so  fast,  it  was  ap 
parent  we  were  coming  up  with  the  chase,  hand  over  hand. 

The  two  ships  were  not  more  than  a  hundred  feet  asunder 
when  the  Frenchman  first  saw  us.  This  blindness  was  owing  to 
several  circumstances.  In  the  first  place,  ten  men  look  forward 
in  a  ship  where  one  looks  aft.  Those  who  looked  aloft,  too, 
were  generally  on  the  quarter-deck,  and  this  prevented  them 
from  looking  astern.  Then  the  Frenchman's  crew  had  just  gone 
to  their  breakfasts,  most  of  them  eating  below.  She  was  so 
strong-handed,  moreover,  as  to  give  a  forenoon's  watch  below, 
and  this  still  left  many  of  the  sluggards  in  their  hammocks.  In 
that  day,  even  a  French  ship-of-the-line  was  no  model  of  disci 
pline  or  order,  and  a  letter-of-marque  was  consequently  worse. 
As  it  afterward  appeared,  we  were  first  seen  by  the  mate  of  the 
watch,  who  ran  to  the  taffrail,  and,  instead  of  giving  an  order  to 
call  all  hands,  he  hailed  us.  Mr.  Forbank,  our  second  mate,  an 
swered  ;  mumbling  his  words  so  that,  if  they  were  bad  French, 
they  did  not  sound  like  good  English.  He  got  out  the  name 
"  Le  Hasard,  de  Bordeaux,"  pretty  plainly,  however ;  and  this 
served  to  mystify  the  mate  for  a  few  seconds.  By  the  end  of 
that  time  our  bows  were  doubling  on  the  Frenchman's  quarter, 
and  we  were  sheering  into  him  so  fast  as  quite  to  distract  the 
Nantes  man.  The  hail  had  been  heard  below,  however,  and  the 
Frenchmen  came  tumbling  up  by  the  dozen,  forward  and  aft. 

Captain  Williams  was  a  prime  seaman,  and  one  of  the  coolest 
men  that  ever  lived.  Every  thing  that  day  was  done  at  precise 
ly  the  proper  moment.  The  Frenchman  attempted  to  keep  cff, 


AFLOAT     AND     ASHORE.  151 

but  our  wheel  was  so  touched  as  to  keep  us  lapping  in  nearly  a 
parallel  line  with  them  the  whole  time ;  and  our  forward  sails 
soon  becalmed  even  their  mainsail.  Of  course,  we  went  two  feet 
to  their  one.  Marble  came  on  the  forecastle  just  as  our  cat 
head  was  abreast  of  "  The  Lady's"  forward  rigging.  Less  than 
a  minute  was  required  to  take  us  so  far  forward,  and  that  min 
ute  was  one  of  great  confusion  among  the  French.  As  soon  as 
Marble  got  on  the  forecastle,  he  made  a  signal,  the  ensign  was 
run  up,  and  the  order  was  given  to  fire.  We  let  fly  all  five 
of  our  nine-pounders,  loaded  with  two  round  and  a  stand  of 
grape,  at  the  same  moment.  At  the  next  instant  the  crash  of 
the  ships  coming  foul  of  each  other  was  heard.  Marble  shouted 
"  Come  on,  boys  !"  and  away  he,  and  I,  and  Neb,  and  all  hands 
of  us  went  on  board  of  the  Frenchman  like  a  hurricane.  I  an 
ticipated  a  furious  hand-to-hand  conflict ;  but  we  found  the  deck 
deserted,  and  had  no  difficulty  whatever  in  getting  possession. 
The  surprise,  the  rush,  and  the  effect  of  the  broadside  gave  us 
an  easy  victory.  The  French  captain  had  been  nearly  cut  in 
two  by  a  nine-pound  shot,  moreover,  and  both  of  the  mates 
were  severely  wounded.  These  accidents  contributed  largely  to 
our  success,  causing  the  enemy  to  abandon  the  defence  as  hope 
less.  We  had  not  a  soul  hurt. 

The  prize  proved  to  be  the  ship  I  have  mentioned,  a  letter-of- 
marque  from  Guadaloupe,  bound  to  Nantes.  She  was  a  trifle 
larger  than  the  Crisis,  mounted  twelve  French  nines,  and  had 
eighty-three  souls  on  board  when  she  sailed.  Of  these,  however, 
no  less  than  twenty-three  had  been  killed  and  wounded  in  our 
previous  affair  with  her,  and  several  were  absent  in  a  prize.  Of 
the  wounded,  nearly  all  were  still  in  their  hammocks.  Among 
the  remainder,  some  sixteen  or  eighteen  suffered  by  our  close 
and  destructive  broadside  on  the  present  occasion,  reducing  the 
efficient  part  of  her  crew  to  about  our  own  numbers.  The  vessel 
was  new  and  valuable,  and  her  cargo  was  invoiced  at  something 
like  sixty  thousand  dollars,  having  some  cochineal  among  it. 

As  soon  as  assured  of  our  victory,  the  Crisis's  main-topsail 
was  braced  aback,  as  well  as  it  could  be,  and  her  helm  put 


152  AFLOAT      AND     ASHORE. 

down.  At  the  same  time,  the  Dame  was  kept  away,  and  the 
two  ships  went  clear  of  each  other.  Little  injury  had  been 
done  by  the  collision,  or  the  grinding ;  and,  in  consequence  of 
our  guns  having  been  so  much  shotted,  no  damage  whatever 
was  done  the  lower  masts  of  the  prize.  The  shot  had  just 
force  enough  to  pass  through  the  bulwarks,  make  splinters, 
and  to  lodge.  This  left  both  vessels  in  good  condition  for 
going  into  port. 

At  first  it  was  determined  to  leave  me  in  la  Dame  de  Nantes, 
as  prize-master,  with  directions  to  follow  the  Crisis  into  Fal- 
mouth,  whither  she  was  bound  for  orders.  But,  on  further 
examination,  it  was  discovered  that  the  crew  of  an  American 
brig  was  on  board  the  prize  as  prisoners ;  la  Dame  de  Nantes 
having  captured  the  vessel  only  two  days  before  we  met  the 
former  the  first  time,  taken  out  her  people,  manned  her,  and  or 
dered  her  for  Nantes.  These  Americans,  including  the  master 
and  two  mates,  amounted  to  thirteen  souls  in  all,  and  they  ena 
bled  us  to  make  a  different  disposition  of  the  prize.  The  result 
of  an  hour  or  two's  deliberations  was  as  follows : 

Our  old  second  mate,  whose  hurt  was  likely  to  require  better 
care  than  could  be  had  on  the  north-west  coast,  was  put  on 
board  the  French  ship  as  prize-master,  with  orders  to  make  the 
best  of  his  way  to  New  York.  The  master  and  chief  mate  of 
the  American  brig  agreed  to  act  under  him,  and  to  assist  in 
carrying  la  Dame  across  the  ocean.  Three  or  four  of  our 
invalids  were  sent  home  also,  and  the  liberated  Americans  took 
service  for  the  passage.  All  the  French  wounded  were  left  in 
the  ship,  under  the  charge  of  their  own  surgeon,  who  was  a 
man  of  some  little  merit,  though  a  good  deal  of  a  butcher,  as 
was  too  much  the  fashion  of  that  day. 

It  was  dark  before  all  the  arrangements  were  made,  when 
la  Dame  de  Nantes  turned  short  round  on  her  heel,  and  made 
sail  for  America.  Of  course  our  captain  sent  in  his  official 
report  by  her,  and  I  seized  a  moment  to  write  a  short  letter  to 
Grace,  which  was  so  worded  as  to  be  addressed  to  the  whole 
family.  I  knew  how  much  happiness  a  line  from  me  would 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  153 

bestow,  and  I  had  the  pleasure  to  inform  them,  also,  that  I  was 
promoted  to  be  second  mate — the  second  mate  of  the  American 
brig  having  shipped  as  my  successor  in  the  rank  of  third  officer. 

The  parting  on  the  wide  ocean,  that  night,  was  solemn,  and, 
in  some  respects,  sad.  We  knew  that  several  who  were  in  la 
Dame  de  Nantes  would  probably  be  left  behind,  as  she  travelled 
her  long,  solitary  path,  in  the  depths  of  the  ocean ;  and  there 
were  the  chances  that  she,  herself,  might  never  arrive.  As 
respects  the  last,  however,  the  odds  were  in  her  favor,  the 
American  coast  being  effectually  cleared  of  French  privateers  by 
that  time;  and  I  subsequently  received  eleven  hundred  and 
seventy-three  dollars  for  my  share  in  that  exploit.  How  I  was 
affected  by  the  circumstance,  and  what  I  did  with  the  money, 
will  appear  in  the  sequel. 

The  Crisis  made  sail  on  a  bowline,  at  the  same  moment  her 
prize  filled  away  for  America ;  Miles  Wallingford  a  much  more 
important  personage  than  he  had  been  a  few  hours  before. 
We  put  the  prisoners  below,  keeping  a  good  watch  over  them, 
and  hauled  off  to  the  northward  and  westward,  in  order  to 
avoid  any  French  cruisers  that  might  be  hovering  on  their  own 
coast.  Captain  Williams  seemed  satisfied  with  the  share  of 
glory  he  had  obtained,  and  manifested  no  further  disposition  to 
seek  renown  in  arms.  As  for  Marble,  I  never  knew  a  man 
more  exalted  in  his  own  esteem,  than  he  was  by  the  results  of 
that  day's  work.  It  certainly  did  him  great  credit ;  but,  from 
that  hour,  woe  to  the  man  who  pretended  to  dispute  with 
him  concerning  the  character  of  any  sail  that  happened  to  cross 
our  path. 

The  day  after  we  parted  company  with  our  prize,  we  made  a 
sail  to  the  westward,  and  hauled  up  to  take  a  look  at  her,  the 
wind  having  shifted.  She  was  soon  pronounced  to  be  an 
American ;  but,  though  we  showed  our  colors,  the  stranger,  a 
brig,  manifested  no  disposition  to  speak  us.  This  induced 
Captain  Williams  to  make  sail  in  chase,  more  especially  as  the 
brig  endeavored  to  elude  us  by  passing  ahead,  and  the  run  was 
pretty  nearly  on  our  course.  At  four,  P.M.,  we  got  near  enough 
V* 


154  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

to  throw  a  nine-pound  shot  between  the  fellow's  masts,  when 
the  chase  hove-to,  and  permitted  us  to  come  up.  The  brig 
proved  to  be  the  prize  of  la  Dame  de  Nantes,  and  we  took  pos 
session  of  her  forthwith.  As  this  vessel  was  loaded  with  flour, 
pot  and  pearl  ashes,  etc.,  and  was  bound  to  London,  I  was  put 
in  charge  of  her,  with  a  young  man  of  my  own  age,  of  the  name 
of  Roger  Talcott,  for  my  assistant,  having  six  men  for  my  crew. 
Of  course  the  Frenchmen,  all  but  one  who  acted  as  cook  and 
steward  excepted,  were  received  on  board  the  Crisis.  Neb  went 
with  me,  through  his  own  and  my  earnest  entreaties,  though 
spared  by  Marble  with  great  reluctance. 

This  was  my  first  command ;  and  proud  enough  did  I  feel  QH 
the  occasion,  though  almost  dying  with  the  apprehension  of 
doing  something  wrong.  My  orders  were,  to  make  the  Lizard 
light,  and  to  crawl  along  up-Channel,  keeping  close  in  with  the 
English  coast;  Captain  Williams  anticipating  instructions  to 
go  to  the  same  port  to  which  the  Amanda  (the  brig)  was  bound, 
and  expecting  to  overtake  us,  after  he  had  called  at  Falmouth 
for  his  orders.  As  the  Crisis  could  go  four  feet  to  the  Amanda's 
three,  before  sunset  our  old  ship  was  hull  down  ahead  of  us. 

When  I  took  charge  of  the  deck  the  next  morning,  I  found 
myself  on  the  wide  ocean,  with  nothing  in  sight,  at  the  age  of 
eighteen,  and  in  the  enemy's  seas,  with  a  valuable  vessel  to  care 
for,  my  way  to  find  into  narrow  waters  that  I  had  never  enter 
ed,  and  a  crew  on  board,  of  whom  just  one  half  were  now  on 
their  first  voyage.  Our  green  hands  had  manifested  the  apti 
tude  of  Americans,  and  had  done  wonders  in  the  way  of  im 
provement  ;  but  a  great  deal  still  remained  to  be  learned.  The 
Crisis's  complement  had  been  too  large  to  employ  everybody  at 
all  sorts  of  work,  as  is  usually  done  in  a  merchant-vessel  with 
her  ordinary  number  of  hands,  and  the  landsmen  had  to  take 
their  chances  for  instruction.  Notwithstanding,  the  men  I  got 
were  stout,  healthy,  willing  and  able  to  pull  and  haul  with  the 
oldest  salts. 

By  the  arrangement  that  had  been  made,  I  was  now  thrown 
apon  my  own  resources.  Seamanship,  navigation,  address, 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHOKE.  155 

prudence,  all  depended  on  me.  I  confess  I  was,  at  first,  nearly 
as  much  depressed  by  the  novelty  and  responsibility  of  my 
command,  as  Neb  was  delighted.  But  it  is  surprising  how  soon 
we  get  accustomed  to  changes  of  this  sort.  The  first  five  or  six 
hours  set  me  quite  at  my  ease,  though  it  is  true  nothing  oc 
curred  in  the  least  out  of  the  usual  way ;  and,  by  the  time  the 
sun  set,  I  should  have  been  happy,  could  I  have  got  over  the 
uneasiness  produced  by  the  darkness.  The  wind  had  got  round 
to  south-west,  and  blew  fresh.  I  set  a  lower  and  a  topmast  stud 
ding-sail,  and  by  the  time  the  light  had  entirely  vanished,  the 
brig  began  to  drag  after  her  canvas  in  a  way  to  keep  me  wide 
awake.  I  was  at  a  loss  whether  to  shorten  sail  or  not.  On  the 
one  hand,  there  was  the  apprehension  of  carrying  .away  some 
thing  ;  and,  on  the  other,  the  fear  of  seeming  timid  in  the  eyes 
of  the  two  or  three  seamen  I  had  with  me.  I  watched  the 
countenances  of  these  men,  in  order  to  glean  their  private  sen 
timents;  but,  usually,  Jack  relies  so  much  on  his  officers,  that 
he  seldom  anticipates  evils.  As  for  Neb,  the  harder  it  blew, 
the  greater  was  his  rapture.  He  appeared  to  think  the  wind 
was  Master  Miles's,  as  well  as  the  ocean,  the  brig,  and  himself. 
The  more  there  was  of  each,  the  richer  I  became.  As  for  Tal- 
cott,  he  was  scarcely  as  good  a  seaman  as  myself,  though  he 
was  well  educated,  had  good  manners,  was  well  connected,  and 
had  been  my  original  competitor  for  the  office  of  third  mate. 
I  had  been  preferred  only  through  the  earnest  recommendations 
of  Marble.  Talcott,  however,  was  as  expert  a  navigator  as  we 
had  in  the  ship,  and  had  been  placed  with  me  on  that  account ; 
Captain  Williams  fancying  two  heads  might  prove  better  than 
one.  I  took  this  young  man  into  the  cabin  with  me,  not  only 
as  a  companion,  but  to  give  him  consideration  with  the  people 
forward.  On  shore,  though  less  fortunate  in  the  way  of  estate, 
he  would  have  been  considered  as  fully  my  equal  in  position. 

Talcott  and  myself  remained  on  deck  together  nearly  the  whole 
of  the  first  night,  and  the  little  sleep  I  did  get  was  caught  in  a 
topmast  studding-sail  that  lay  on  the  quarter-deck,  and  which  I 
had  determined  not  to  set,  after  rowsing  it  up  for. that  purpose. 


15G  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

When  daylight  returned,  however,  with  a  clear  horizon,  no  in 
crease  of  wind,  and  nothing  in  sight,  I  was  so  much  relieved  as 
to  take  a  good  nap  until  eight.  All  that  day  we  started  neither 
tack  nor  sheet,  nor  touched  a  brace.  Toward  evening  I  went 
aloft  myself  to  look  for  land,  but  without  success,  though  I  knew, 
from  our  observation  at  noon,  it  could  not  be  far  off.  Fifty 
years  ago  the  longitude  was  the  great  difficulty  with  navigators. 
Both  Talcott  and  myself  did  very  well  with  the  lunars,  it  is 
true ;  but  there  was  no  chance  to  observe,  and  even  lunars  soon 
get  out  of  their  reckoning  among  currents  and  tides.  Glad 
enough,  then,  was  I  to  hear  Neb  sing  out  "  Light  ahead !"  from 
the  fore-topsail-yard.  This  was  about  ten  o'clock.  I  knew  this 
light  must  be  the  Lizard,  as  we  wore  too  far  to  the  eastward  for 
Scilly.  The  course  was  changed  so  as  to  bring  the  light  a  little 
on  the  weather-bow ;  and  I  watched  for  its  appearance  to  us  on 
deck  with  an  anxiety  I  have  experienced,  since,  only  in  the  most 
trying  circumstances.  Half  an  hour  sufficed  for  this,  and  then 
I  felt  comparatively  happy.  A  new  beginner  even  is  not  badly 
off  with  tbe  wind  fresh  at  south-west,  and  the  Lizard  light  in 
plain  view  on  his  weather-bow,  if  he  happen  to  be  bound  up- 
Channel.  That  night,  consequently,  proved  to  be  more  com 
fortable  than  the  previous. 

Next  morning  there  was  no  change,  except  in  the  brig's  posi 
tion.  We  were  well  in  the  Channel,  had  the  land  as  close 
aboard  as  was  prudent,  and  could  plainly  see,  by  objects  ashore, 
that  we  were  travelling  ahead  at  a  famous  rate.  We  went  within 
a  mile  of  the  Eddystone,  so  determined  was  I  to  keep  as  far  as 
possible  from  the  French  privateers.  Next  morning  we  were  up 
abreast  of  the  Isle  of  Wight ;  but  the  wind  had  got  round  to 
the  southward  and  eastward,  becoming  much  lighter,  and  so 
scant  as  to  bring  us  on  a  taut  bowline.  This  made  England  a 
lee-shore,  and  I  began  to  be  as  glad  to  get  off  it,  as  1  had  lately 
been  to  hug  it. 

All  this  time,  it  will  easily  be  understood,  that  we  kept  a 
sharp  look-out,  on  board  the  brig,  for  enemies.  We  saw  a  great 
many  sail,  particularly  as  we  approached  the  Straits  of  Dover, 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  157 

and  kept  as  much  aloof  from  all  as  circumstances  would  allow. 
Several  were  evidently  English  vessels-of-war,  and  I  felt  no  small 
concern  on  the  subject  of  having  some  of  my  men  impressed ; 
for  at  that  period,  and  for  many  years  afterward,  ships  of  all 
nations  that  traded  with  the  English  lost  many  of  their  people 
by  this  practice,  and  the  American  craft  more  than  any  other. 
I  ascribed  to  our  sticking  so  close  to  the  coast,  which  we  did  as 
long  as  it  was  at  all  safe,  the  manner  in  which  we  were  permit 
ted  to  pass  unnoticed,  or,  at  least,  undetained.  But  as  we  drew 
nearer  to  the  narrow  waters,  I  had  little  hope  of  escaping  with 
out  being  boarded.  In  the  mean  while,  we  made  short  stretches 
off  the  land,  and  back  again,  all  one  day  and  night,  working 
slowly  to  the  eastward.  We  still  met  with  no  interruption.  I 
was  fast  getting  confidence  in  myself;  handling  the  Amanda,  in 
my  own  judgment,  quite  as  well  as  Marble  could  have  done  it, 
and  getting  my  green  hands  into  so  much  method  and  practice, 
that  I  should  not  have  hesitated  about  turning  round  and  shap 
ing  our  course  for  New  York,  so  far  as  the  mere  business  of 
navigating  the  vessel  was  concerned. 

The  lights  on  the  English  coast  were  safe  guides  for  our 
movements,  and  they  let  me  understand  how  much  we  made  or 
lost  on  a  tack.  Dungeness  was  drawing  nearer  slowly,  to  ap 
pearances,  and  I  was  beginning  to  look  out  for  a  pilot,  when 
Talcott,  who  had  the  watch,  about  three  in  the  morning,  came 
with  breathless  haste  into  the  cabin,  to  tell  me  there  was  a  sail 
closing  with  us  fast,  and,  so  far  as  he  could  make  her  out  in  the 
darkness,  she  was  lugger-rigged.  This  was  startling  news  in 
deed,  for  it  was  almost  tantamount  to  saying  the  stranger  was 
a  Frenchman.  I  did  not  undress  at  all,  and  was  on  deck  in  a 
moment.  The  vessel  in  chase  was  about  half  a  mile  distant  on 
our  lee-quarter,  but  could  be  plainly  enough  distinguished,  and 
I  saw  at  a  glance  she  was  a  lugger.  There  were  certainly  Eng 
lish  luggers ;  but  all  the  traditions  of  the  profession  had  taught 
me  to  regard  a  vessel  of  that  particular  rig  as  a  Frenchman.  I 
had  heard  of  privateers  from  Dunkirk,  Boulogne,  and  various 
other  ports  in  France,  running  over  to  the  English  coast  in  the 


158  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

night,  and  making  prizes,  just  as  this  fellow  seemed  disposed  to 
serve  us.  Luckily,  our  head  was  toward  the  land,  and  we  were 
looking  about  a  point  and  a  half  to  windward  of  the  light  on 
Dungeness,  being  also  favored  with  a  flood  tide,  so  far  as  we 
could  judge  by  the  rapid  drift  of  the  vessel  to  windward. 

My  decision  was  made  in  a  minute.  I  knew  nothing  of  bat 
teries,  or  where  to  seek  protection ;  but  there  was  the  land,  and 
I  determined  to  make  for  it  as  fast  as  I  could.  By  keeping  the 
brig  a  good  full,  and  making  all  the  sail  she  could  carry,  I 
thought  we  might  run  ashore  before  the  lugger  could  get  along 
side  us.  As  for  her  filing,  I  did  not  believe  she  would  dare  to 
attempt  that,  as  it  might  bring  some  English  cruiser  on  her 
heels,  and  France  was  some  hours'  sail  distant.  The  fore  and 
mizzen-topgallant-sails  were  set  as  fast  as  possible,  the  weather- 
braces  pulled  upon  a  little,  the  bowlines  eased,  and  the  brig 
kept  a  rap-full.  The  Amanda  was  no  flyer,  certainly ;  but  she 
seemed  frightened  as  much  as  we  were  ourselves,  that  night.  I 
never  knew  her  to  get  along  so  fast,  considering  the  wind ;  and 
really  there  was  a  short  time  when  I  began  to  think  she  held 
her  own,  the  lugger  being  jammed  up  as  close  as  she  could  be. 
But  this  was  all  delusion,  that  craft  coming  after  us  more  like  a 
sea-serpent  than  a  machine  carried  ahead  by  canvas.  I  was 
soon  certain  that  escape  from  such  a  racer  by  sailing,  was  alto 
gether  out  of  the  question. 

The  land  and  light  were  now  close  aboard  us,  and  I  expected 
every  moment  to  hear  the  brig's  keel  grinding  on  the  bottom. 
At  this  instant  I  caught  a  faint  glimpse  of  a  vessel  at  anchor  to 
the  eastward  of  the  point,  and  apparently  distant  about  a  quar 
ter  of  a  mile.  The  thought  struck  me  that  she  might  be  an 
English  cruiser,  for  they  frequently  anchored  in  such  places ; 
and  I  called  out,  as  it  might  be  instinctively,  "  luff !"  Neb  was 
at  the  helm,  and  I  knew  by  his  cheerful  answer  that  the  fellow 
was  delighted.  It  was  lucky  we  luffed  as  we  did,  for,  in  coming 
to  the  wind,  the  vessel  gave  a  scrape  that  was  a  fearful  admon- 
isher  of  what  would  have  happened  in  another  minute.  Tho 
Amanda  minded  her  helm  beautifully,  however,  and  we  went 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  159 

past  the  nearest  land  without  any  further  hints,  heading  up  just 
high  enough  to  fetch  a  little  to  windward  of  the  vessel  at  an 
chor.  At  the  next  moment,  the  lugger,  then  about  a  cable's 
length  from  us,  was  shut  in  by  the  land.  I  was  now  in  great 
hopes  the  Frenchman  would  be  obliged  to  tack ;  but  he  had 
measured  his  distance  well,  and  felt  certain,  it  would  seem,  that 
he  could  lay  past.  He  reasoned,  probably,  as  Nelson  is  said  to 
have  reasoned  at  the  Nile,  and  as  some  of  his  captains  unques 
tionably  did  reason ;  that  is,  if  there  was  water  enough  for  us, 
there  was  water  enough  for  him.  In  another  minute  I  saw  him, 
jammed  nearly  into  the  wind's  eye,  luffing  past  the  point,  and 
falling  as  easily  into  our  wake  as  if  drawn  by  attraction. 

All  this  time,  the  night  was  unbroken  by  any  sound.  Not  a 
hail,  nor  a  call,  our  own  orders  excepted,  and  they  had  been 
given  in  low  tones,  had  been  audible  on  board  the  Amanda.  As 
regards  the  vessel  at  anchor,  she  appeared  to  give  herself  no 
concern.  There  she  lay,  a  fine  ship,  and,  as  I  thought,  a  vessel- 
of-war,  like  a  marine  bird  asleep  on  its  proper  element.  We 
were  directly  between  her  and  the  lugger,  and  it  is  possible  her 
anchor-watch  did  not  see  the  latter.  The  three  vessels  were  not 
more  than  half  a  cable's  length  asunder ;  that  is,  we  were  about 
that  distance  from  the  ship,  and  the  lugger  was  a  very  little  far 
ther  from  us.  Five  minutes  must  determine  the  matter.  I  was 
on  the  brig's  forecastle,  anxiously  examining  ah1  I  could  make 
out  on  board  the  ship,  as  her  size,  and  shape,  and  rig  became 
slowly  more  and  more  distinct ;  and  I  hailed — 

"Ship  ahoy!" 

"  Hilloa !     What  brig 's  that  ?" 

"An  American,  with  a  French  privateer-lugger  close  on  boaid 
me,  directly  in  my  wake.  You  had  better  be  stirring !" 

I  heard  the  quick  exclamation  of  "  The  devil  there  is !" 
"Bloody  Yankees !"  came  next.  Then  followed  the  call  of  "all 
hands."  It  was  plain  enough  my  notice  had  set  every  thing  in 
motion  in  that  quarter.  Talcott  now  came  running  forward  to 
say  he  thought,  from  some  movements  on  board  the  lugger, 
that  her  people  were  now  first  apprised  of  the  vicinity  of  the 


160  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

ship.  I  had  been  sadly  disappointed  at  the  call  for  all  hands  on 
board  the  ship,  for  it  was  in  the  manner  of  a  merchantman,  in 
stead  of  that  of  a  vessel-of-war.  But  we  were  getting  too  near 
to  remain  much  longer  in  doubt.  The  Amanda  was  already 
sweeping  up  on  the  Englishman's  bows,  not  more  than  forty 
yards  distant. 

"  She  is  an  English  West  Indiaman,  Mr.  Wallingford,"  said 
one  of  my  oldest  seamen,  "  and  a  running  ship ;  some  vessel 
that  has  deserted  or  lost  her  convoy." 

"  Do  you  know  any  thing  of  the  lugger  ?"  demanded  an 
officer  from  on  board  the  ship,  in  a  voice  that  was  not  very 
amicable. 

"  No  more  than  you  see ;  she  has  chased  me,  close  aboard, 
for  the  last  twenty  minutes." 

There  was  no  reply  to  this  for  a  moment,  and  then  I  was 
asked,  "  to  tack,  and  give  us  a  little  chance,  by  drawing  him 
away  for  a  few  minutes.  We  are  armed,  and  will  come  out  to 
your  assistance." 

Had  I  been  ten  years  older,  experience  in  the  faith  of  men, 
and  especially  of  men  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  gain,  would 
have  prevented  me  from  complying  with  this  request;  but,  at 
eighteen,  one  views  these  things  differently.  It  did  appear  to 
me  ungenerous  to  lead  an  enemy  in  upon  a  man  in  his  sleep, 
and  not  endeavor  to  do  something  to  aid  the  surprised  party ;  I 
answered  "  ay,  ay  !"  therefore,  and  tacked  directly  alongside  of 
the  ship.  But  the  manoeuvre  was  too  late,  the  lugger  coming 
in  between  the  ship  and  the  brig,  just  as  we  began  to  draw 
ahead  again,  leaving  him  room,  and  getting  a  good  look  at  us 
both.  The  Englishman  appeared  the  most  inviting,  I  suppose, 
for  she  up  helm  and  went  on  board  of  him  on  his  quarter. 
Neither  party  used  their  guns.  We  were  so  near,  however,  as 
plainly  to  understand  the  whole,  to  distinguish  the  orders,  and 
even  to  hear  the  blows  that  were  struck  by  hand.  It  was  an 
awful  minute  to  us  in  the  brig.  The  cries  of  the  hurt  reached 
us  in  the  stillness  of  that  gloomy  morning,  and  oaths  mingle  •! 
with  the  clamor.  Though  taken  by  surprise,  John  Bull  fouglit 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  161 

well ;  though  we  could  perceive  that  he  was  overpowered,  how 
ever,  just  as  the  distance,  and  the  haze  that  was  beginning  to 
gather  thick  around  the  land,  shut  in  the  two  vessels  from  our 
view 

The  disappearance  of  the  two  combatants  furnished  me  with 
a  hint  how  to  proceed.  I  stood  out  three  or  four  minutes  longer, 
or  a  sufficient  distance  to  make  certain  we  should  not  be  seen, 
and  tacked  again.  In  order  to  draw  as  fast  as  possible  out  of 
the  line  of  sight,  we  kept  the  brig  off  a  little,  and  then  ran  in 
toward  the  English  coast,  which  was  sufficiently  distant  to  en 
able  us  to  stand  on  in  that  direction  some  little  time  longer. 
This  expedient  succeeded  perfectly ;  for,  when  we  found  it  nec 
essary  to  tack  again,  day  began  to  dawn.  Shortly  after,  we 
could  just  discern  the  West  Indiaman  and  the  lugger  standing 
off  the  land,  making  the  best  of  their  way  toward  the  French 
coast.  In  1799,  it  is  possible  that  this  bold  Frenchman  got  his 
prize  into  some  of  his  own  ports,  though  three  or  four  years 
later  it  would  have  been  a  nearly  hopeless  experiment.  As  for 
the  Amanda,  she  was  safe ;  and  Nelson  did  not  feel  happier, 
after  his  great  achievement  at  the  Nile,  than  I  felt  at  the  suc 
cess  of  my  own  expedient.  Talcott  congratulated  me  and  ap 
plauded  me ;  and  I  believe  all  of  us  were  a  little  too  mucr 
disposed  to  ascribe  to  our  own  steadiness  and  address,  much 
that  ought  fairly  to  have  been  imputed  to  chance. 

Off  Dover  we  got  a  pilot,  and  learned  that  the  ship  captured 
was  the  Dorothea,  a  valuable  West  Indiaman  that  had  stolen 
away  from  her  convoy,  and  come  in  alone,  the  previous  evening. 
She  anchored  under  Dungeness  at  the  first  of  the  ebb,  and,  it 
seems,  had  preferred  taking  a  good  night's  rest  to  venturing  out 
in  the  dark,  when  the  flood  made.  Her  berth  was  a  perfectly 
snug  one,  and  the  lugger  would  probably  never  have  found  her, 
had  we  not  led  her  directly  in  upon  her  prey. 

I  was  now  relieved  from  all  charge  of  the  brig ;  and  a  relief 
I  found  it,  between  shoals,  enemies,  and  the  tides,  of  which  I 
knew  nothing.  That  day  we  got  into  the  Downs,  and  came-to. 
Here  I  saw  a  fleet  at  anchor ;  and  a  pretty  stir  it  made  among 


162  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

the  men-of-wars'-men,  when  our  story  was  repeated  among 
them.  I  do  think  twenty  of  their  boats  were  alongside  of  us, 
to  get  the  facts  from  the  original  source.  Among  others  who 
thus  appeared,  to  question  me,  was  one  old  gentleman,  whom  I 
suspected  of  being  an  admiral.  He  was  in  shore-dress,  and 
came  in  a  plain  way ;  the  men  in  his  boat  declining  to  answer 
any  questions ;  but  they  paid  him  unusual  respect.  This  gentle 
man  asked  me  a  great  many  particulars,  and  I  told  him  the 
whole  story  frankly,  concealing  or  coloring  nothing.  He  was 
evidently  much  interested.  When  he  went  away,  he  shook  me 
cordially  by  the  hand,  and  said,  "  Young  gentleman,  you  have 
acted  prudently  and  well.  Never  mind  the  grumbling  of  some 
of  our  lads  ;  they  think  only  of  themselves.  It  was  your  right 
and  your  duty  to  save  your  own  vessel,  if  you  could,  without 
doing  'any  thing  dishonorable;  and  I  see  nothing  wrong  in 
your  conduct.  But  it's  a  sad  disgrace  to  us  to  let  these  French 
rascals  be  picking  up  their  crumbs  in  this  fashion,  right  undei 
our  hawse-holes." 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  163 


CHAPTER  X. 

u  How  pleasant  and  how  sad  the  turning  tide 
Of  human  life,  when  side  by  side 
The  child  and  youth  begin  to  glide 

Along  the  vale  of  years ; 
The  pure  twin-being  for  a  little  space, 
With  lightsome  heart,  and  yet  a  graver  face, 
Too  young  for  woe,  though  not  for  tears." 

AIXSTON. 

WITH  what  interest  and  deference  most  Americans  of  any 
education  regarded  England,  her  history,  laws,  and  institutions, 
in  1799!  There  were  a  few  exceptions — warm  political  parti 
sans,  and  here  and  there  an  individual  whose  feelings  had  be 
come  embittered  by  some  particular  incident  of  the  Revolution — 
but  surprisingly  few,  when  it  is  recollected  that  the  country  was 
only  fifteen  years  from  the  peace.  I  question  if  there  ever  ex 
isted  another  instance  of  as  strong  provincial  admiration  for  the 
capital,  as  independent  America  manifested  for  the  mother  coun 
try,  in  spite  of  a  thousand  just  grievances,  down  to  the  period 
of  the  war  of  1812.  I  was  no  exception  to  the  rule,  nor  was 
Talcott.  Neither  of  us  had  ever  seen  England  before  we  made 
the  Lizard  on  this  voyage,  except  through  our  minds'  eyes ;  and 
these  had  presented  quantities  of  beauties  and  excellences  that 
certainly  vanished  on  a  nearer  approach.  By  this  I  merely 
mean  that  we  had  painted  in  too  high  colors,  as  is  apt  to  be  the 
case  when  the  imagination  holds  the  pencil ;  not  that  there  was 
any  unusual  absence  of  things  worthy  to  be  commended.  On 
the  contrary,  even  at  this  late  hour,  I  consider  England  as  a 
model  for  a  thousand  advantages,  even  to  our  own  inappre 
ciable  selves.  Nevertheless,  much  delusion  was  blended  with 
our  admiration. 


164  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

English  history  was  virtually  American  history ;  and  every 
thing  on  the  land,  as  we  made  our  way  toward  town,  which  the 
pilot  could  point  out,  was  a  source  of  amusement  and  delight. 
We  had  to  tide  it  up  to  London,  and  had  plenty  of  leisure  to 
see  all  there  was  to  be  seen.  The  Thames  is  neither  a  hand 
some  nor  a  very  magnificent  river ;  but  it  was  amazing  to  wit 
ness  the  number  of  vessels  that  then  ascended  or  descended  it. 
There  was  scarce  a  sort  of  craft  known  to  Christendom,  a  few 
of  the  Mediterranean  excepted,  that  was  not  to  be  seen  there ; 
and  as  for  the  colliers,  we  drifted  through  a  forest  of  them  that 
seemed  large  enough  to  keep  the  town  a  twelvemonth  in  fire 
wood,  by  simply  burning  their  spars.  The  manner  in  which 
the  pilot  handled  our  brig,  too,  among  the  thousand  ships  that 
lay  in  tiers  on  each  side  of  the  narrow  passage  we  had  to  thread, 
was  perfectly  surprising  to  me ;  resembling  the  management  of 
a  coachman  in  a  crowded  thoroughfare,  more  than  the  ordinary 
working  of  a  ship.  I  can  safely  say  I  learned  more  in  the 
Thames,  in  the  way  of  keeping  a  vessel  in  command,  and  in  do 
ing  what  I  pleased  with  her,  than  in  the  whole  of  my  voyage  to 
Canton  and  back  again.  As  for  Neb,  he  rolled  his  dark  eyes 
about  in  wonder,  and  took  an  occasion  to  say  to  me,  "  He  '11 
make  her  talk,  Masser  Miles,  afore  he  have  done."  T  make  no 
doubt  the  navigation  from  the  Forelands  to  the  bridges,  as  it 
was  conducted  thirty  years  since,  had  a  great  influence  on  the 
seamanship  of  the  English.  Steamers  are  doing  away  with 
much  of  this  practice,  though  the  colliers  still  have  to  rely  on 
themselves.  Coals  will  scarcely  pay  for  tugging. 

I  had  been  directed  by  Captain  Williams  to  deliver  the  brig 
to  her  original  consignee,  an  American  merchant  established  in 
the  modern  Babylon,  reserving  the  usual  claim  for  salvage. 
This  I  did,  and  that  gentleman  sent  hands  on  board  to  take 
Charge  of  the  vessel,  relieving  me  entirely  from  all  farther  re 
sponsibility.  As  the  captain  in  his  letter  had,  inadvertently  I 
trust,  mentioned  that  he  had  put  "  Mr.  Wallingford,  his  third 
mate,"  in  charge,  I  got  no  invitation  to  dinner  from  the  con 
signee  ;  though  the  affair  of  the  capture  under  Dungeness  found 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  IfiS 

its  way  into  the  papers,  via  Deal,  I  have  always  thought,  with 
the  usual  caption  of  "  Yankee  Trick." 

Yankee  trick!  This  phrase,  so  often  carelessly  used,  has 
probably  done  a  great  deal  of  harm  in  this  country.  The  young 
and  ambitious — there  are  all  sorts  of  ambition,  and,  among 
others,  that  of  being  a  rogue ;  as  a  proof  of  which,  one  daily 
hears  people  call  envy,  jealousy,  covetousness,  avarice,  and  half 
of  the  meaner  vices,  ambition — the  young  and  ambitious,  then, 
of  this  country  too  often  think  to  do  a  good  thing  that  shall  have 
some  of  the  peculiar  merit  of  a  certain  other  good  thing  that 
they  have  heard  laughed  at  and  applauded  under  this  designa 
tion.  I  can  account  in  no  other  manner  for  the  great  and  in 
creasing  number  of  "  Yankee  tricks'1  that  are  of  daily  occurrence 
among  us.  Among  other  improvements  in  taste,  not  to  say  in 
morals,  that  might  be  introduced  into  the  American  press,  would 
be  the  omission  of  the  histories  of  these  rare  inventions.  As 
two  thirds  of  the  editors  of  the  whole  country,  however,  are 
Yankees,  I  suppose  they  must  be  permitted  to  go  on  exulting  in 
the  cleverness  of  their  race.  We  are  indebted  to  the  Puritan 
stock  for  most  of  our  instructors — editors  and  schoolmasters — 
and  when  one  coolly  regards  the  prodigious  progress  of  the 
people  in  morals,  public  and  private  virtue,  honesty,  and  other 
estimable  qualities,  he  must,  indeed,  rejoice  in  the  fact  that  our 
masters  so  early  discovered  "  a  church  without  a  bishop." 

I  had  an  opportunity  while  in  London,  however,  of  ascertain 
ing  that  the  land  of  our  fathers,  which,  by  the  way,  has  arch 
bishops,  contains  something  besides  an  unalloyed  virtue  in  its 
bosom.  At  Gfravesend  we  took  on  board  two  custom-house  offi 
cers,  (they  always  set  a  rogue  to  watch  a  rogue  in  the  English 
revenue  system,)  and  they  remained  in  the  brig  until  she  was 
discharged.  One  of  these  men  had  been  a  gentleman's  servant, 
and  he  owed  his  place^  to  his  former  master's  interest.  He  was 
a  miracle  of  custom-house  integrity  and  disinterestedness,  as  I 
discovered  in  the  first  hour  of  our  intercourse.  Perceiving  a  lad 
of  eighteen  in  charge  of  the  prize,  and  ignorant  that  this  lad  had 
read  a  good  deal  of  Latin  and  Greek  under  excellent  Mr.  Har- 


LC6  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

dinge,  besides  being  the  heir  of  Clawbonny,  I  suppose  he  fancied 
he  would  have  an  easy  time  with  him.  The  man's  name  was 
Sweeney.  Perceiving  in  me  an  eager  desire  to  see  every  thing, 
the  brig  was  no  sooner  at  her  moorings  than  he  proposed  a  cruise 
ashore.  It  was  Sweeney  who  showed  me  the  way  to  the  con 
signee's,  and,  that  business  accomplished,  he  proposed  that  we 
should  proceed  on  and  take  a  look  at  St.  Paul's,  the  Monument, 
and,  as  he  gradually  found  my  tastes  more  intellectual  than  he  at 
first  supposed,  the  wonders  of  the  West  End.  I  was  nearly  a 
week  under  the  pilotage  of  the  "  Admirable  Sweeney."  After 
showing  me  the  exteriors  of  all  the  things  of  mark  about  the 
town,  and  the  interiors  of  a  few  that  I  was  disposed  to  pay  for, 
he  descended  in  his  tastes,  and  carried  me  through  Wapping,  its 
purlieus  and  its  scenes  of  atrocities.  I  have  always  thought 
Sweeney  was  sounding  me,  and  hoping  to  ascertain  my  true 
character  by  the  course  he  took ;  and  that  lie  betrayed  his  mo 
tives  in  a  proposition  which  he  finally  made,  and  which  brought 
our  intimacy  to  a  sudden  close.  The  result,  however,  was  to 
let  me  into  secrets  I  should  probably  have  never  learned  in  any 
other  manner.  Still,  I  had  read  and  heard  too  much  to  be  easi 
ly  duped ;  and  I  kept  myself  not  only  out  of  the  power  of  my 
tempter,  but  out  of  the  power  of  all  that  could  injure  me,  re 
maining  simply  a  curious  observer  of  what  was  placed  before  my 
eyes.  Good  Mr.  Hardinge's  lessons  were  not  wholly  forgotten ; 
I  could  run  away  from  him  much  easier  than  from  his  precepts. 
I  shall  never  forget  a  visit  I  made  to  a  house  called  the  Black 
Horse,  in  St.  Catherine's  Lane.  This  last  was  a  narrow  street 
that  ran  across  the  site  of  the  docks  that  now  bear  the  same 
name ;  and  it  was  the  resort  of  all  the  local  infamy  of  Wapping. 
I  say  local  infamy ;  for  there  were  portions  of  the  West  End 
that  were  even  worse  than  any  thing  which  a  mere  port  could 
produce.  Commerce,  that  parent  of  so  much  that  is  useful  to 
man,  has  its  dark  side  as  every  thing  else  of  earth ;  and,  among 
its  other  evils,  it  drags  after  it  a  long  train  of  low  vice  ;  but  this 
train  is  neither  so  long  nor  so  broad  as  that  which  is  chained  to 
the  chariot-wheels  of  the  great.  Appearancps  excepted,  and 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHOHE.  107 

they  are  far  less  than  might  be  expected,  I  think  the  West  End 
could  beat  Wapping  out  and  out  in  every  essential  vice ;  and,  if 
St.  Giles  be  taken  into  the  account,  I  know  of  no  salvo  in  favor 
of  the  land  over  the  sea. 

Our  visit  to  the  Black  Horse  was  paid  of  a  Sunday,  that  be 
ing  the  leisure  moment  of  all  classes  of  laborers,  and  the  day 
when,  being  attired  in  their  best,  they  fancied  themselves  best 
prepared  to  appear  in  the  world.  I  will  here  remark,  that  I 
have  never  been  in  any  portion  of  Christendom  that  keeps  the 
Sabbath  precisely  as  it  is  kept  in  America.  In  all  other  coun 
tries,  even  the  most  rigorously  severe  in  their  practices,  it  is 
kept  as  a  day  of  recreation  and  rest,  as  well  as  of  public  devo 
tion.  Even  in  the  American  towns,  the  old  observances  are 
giving  way  before  the  longings  or  weaknesses  of  human  nature ; 
and  Sunday  is  no  longer  what  it  was.  I  have  witnessed  scenes 
of  brawling,  blasphemy,  and  rude  tumult  in  the  suburbs  of  New 
York,  on  Sundays,  within  the  last  few  years,  that  I  have  nevei 
seen  in  any  other  part  of  the  world  on  similar  occasions  ;  and 
serious  doubts  of  the  expediency  of  the  high-pressure  principle 
have  beset  me,  whatever  may  be  the  just  constructions  of  doc 
trine.  With  the  last  I  pretend  not  to  meddle  ;  but,  in  a  world 
ly  point  of  view,  it  would  seem  wise,  if  you  cannot  make  men 
all  that  they  ought  to  be,  to  aim  at  such  social  regulations  as 
shall  make  them  as  little  vile  as  possible.  But,  to  return  to  the 
Black  Horse  in  St.  Catherine's  Lane — a  place  whose  very  name 
was  associated  with  vileness. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  speak  of  the  characters  of  its  female 
visitors.  Most  of  them  were  young,  many  of  them  were  still 
blooming  and  handsome,  but  all  of  them  were  abandoned.  "  I 
need  tell  you  nothing  of  these  girls,"  said  Sweeney,  who  was  a 
bit  of  a  philosopher  in  his  way,  ordering  a  pot  of  beer,  and  mo 
tioning  me  to  take  a  seat  at  a  vacant  table — "  but,  as  for  the 
men  you  see  here,  half  are  house-breakers  and  pickpockets, 
come  to  pass  the  day  genteelly  among  you  gentlemen- sailors. 
-There  are  two  or  three  faces  here  that  I  have  seen  at  the  Old 
Bailey,  myself;  and  how  they  have  remained  in  the  country,  ia 


108  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

more  than  I  can  tell  you.  You  perceive  these  fellows  are  just 
as  much  at  their  ease,  and  the  landlord  who  receives  and  enter 
tains  them  is  just  as  much  at  his  ease,  as  if  the  whole  party  were 
merely  honest  men." 

"  How  happens  it,"  I  asked,  "  that  such  known  rogues  are  al 
lowed  to  go  at  large,  or  that  this  innkeeper  dares  receive  them  ?" 

"  Oh !  you're  a  child  yet,  or  you  would  not  ask  such  a  ques 
tion  !  -You  must  know,  Master  Wallingford,  that  the  law  pro 
tects  rogues  as  well  as  honest  men.  To  convict  a  pickpocket, 
you  must  have  witnesses,  and  jurors  to  agree,  and  prosecutors, 
and  a  sight  of  things  that  are  not  as  plenty  as  pocket-handker 
chiefs,  or  even  wallets  and  Bank  of  England  notes.  Besides, 
these  fellows  can  prove  an  alibi  any  day  in  the  week  An  alibi, 
you  must  know" — 

"  I  know  very  well  what  an  alibi  means,  Mr.  Sweeney." 

"  The  deuce  you  do  !"  exclaimed  the  protector  of  the  king's 
revenue,  eyeing  me  a  little  distrustfully.  "  And  pray,  how 
should  one  as  young  as  you,  and  coming  from  a  new  country 
like  America,  know  that  ?" 

"  Oh !"  said  I,  laughing,  "  America  is  just  the  country  for 
alibis — everybody  is  everywhere,  and  nobody  anywhere.  The 
whole  nation  is  in  motion,  and  there  is  every  imaginable  oppor 
tunity  for  alibis." 

I  believe  I  owed  the  development  of  Sweeney's  •'*  ulterior 
views"  to  this  careless  speech.  He  had  no  other  idea  of  the 
word  than  its  legal  signification ;  and  it  must  have  struck  him 
as  a  little  suspicious  that  one  of  my  apparent  condition  in  life, 
and  especially  of  my  years,  should  be  thus  early  instructed  in 
the  meaning  of  this  very  useful  professional  term.  It  was  a 
minute  before  he  spoke  again,  having  been  all  that  time  study 
ing  my  countenance. 

"  And  pray,  Master  Wallingford,"  he  then  inquired,  "  do  you 
happen  to  know  what  nolle  prosequi  means,  too  ?" 

"  Certainly ;   it  means  to  give  up  the  chase.     The  French 
lugger  under  Dungeness  entered  a  nolle  prosequi  as  respects  my' 
brig,  when  she  found  her  hands  full  of  the  West  Indiaman." 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  169 

"  So,  so  ;  I  find  I  have  been  keeping  company  all  this  time 
with  a  knowing  one,  and  I  such  a  simpleton  as  to  fancy  him 
green  !  Well,  that  I  should  live  to  be  done  by  a  raw  Jonathan !" 

"  Poh,  poh,  Mr.  Sweeney,  I  can  tell  you  a  story  of  two  of  our 
naval  officers,  that  took  place  just  before  we  sailed ;  and  then 
you  will  learn  that  all  hands  of  us,  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Big  Pond,  understand  Latin.  One  of  these  officers  had  been 
engaged  in  a  duel,  and  he  found  it  necessary  to  lie  hid.  A 
friend  and  shipmate,  who  was  in  his  secret,  came  one  day  in  a 
great  hurry  to  tell  him  that  the  authorities  of  the  state  in  which 
the  parties  fought  had  '  entered  a  nolle  prosequi1  against  the 
offenders.  He  had  a  newspaper  with  the  whole  thing  in  it,  in 
print.  '  What's  a  nolle  prosequi,  Jack  ?'  asked  Tom.  '  Why, 
it's  Latin,  to  be  sure,  and  it  means  some  infernal  thing  or  other. 
We  must  contrive  to  find  out,  for  it's  half  the  battle  to  know 
who  and  what  you've  got  to  face.'  '  Well,  you  know  lots  of 
lawyers,  and  dare  show  your  face ;  so,  just  step  out  and  ask 
one.'  '  I'll  trust  no  lawyer  ;  I  might  put  the  question  to  some 
chap  who  has  been  fee'd.  But  we  both  studied  a  little  Latin 
when  boys,  and  between  us  we'll  undermine  the  meaning.'  Tom 
assented,  and  to  work  they  went.  Jack  had  the  most  Latin  • 
but,  do  all  he  could,  he  was  not  able  to  find  a  'nolle'  in  any 
dictionary.  After  a  great  deal  of  conjecture,  the  friends  agreed 
it  must  be  the  root  of  '  knowledge,'  and  that  point  was  settled. 
As  for  '•prosequi,''  it  was  not  so  difficult,  as  '  sequor'  was  a  fa 
miliar  word ;  and,  after  some  cogitation,  Jack  announced  his 
discoveries.  '  If  this  thing  were  in  English,  now,'  he  said,  '  a 
fellow  might  understand  it.  In  that  case,  I  should  say  that  the 
sheriff's  men  were  in  "  pursuit  of  knowledge  ;"  that  is,  hunting 
after  you  ;  but  Latin,  you  remember,  was  always  an  inverted 
sort  of  stuff,  and  that  "pro"  alters  the  whole  signification.  The 
paper  says  they've  "  entered  a  nolle  prosequi;"  and  the  "en 
tered"  explains  the  whole.  "  Entered  a  nolle"  means  have  enter 
ed  on  the  knowledge,  got  a  scent ;  you  see  it  is  law  English  ; 
"  pro"  means  "  how,"  and  "sequi,"  "  to  give  chase."  The  amount 
of  it  all  is,  Tom,  that  they  are  on  your  heels,  and  I  must  go  to 


170  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

work  and  send  you  off,  at  once,  two  or  three  hundred  miles 
into  the  interior,  where  you  may  laugh  at  them  and  their  "  nolle 
prosequis"  together.'  "* 

Sweeney  laughed  heartily  at  this  story,  though  he  clearly  did 
not  take  the  joke,  which  I  presume  he  fancied  lay  concealed 
under  an  American  flash  language ;  and  he  proposed,  by  way  of 
finishing  the  day,  to  carry  me  to  an  entertainment  where,  he 
gave  me  to  understand,  American  officers  were  fond  of  some 
times  passing  a  few  minutes.  I  was  led  to  a  Wapping  assem 
bly-room,  on  entering  which  I  found  myself  in  a  party  composed 
of  some  forty  or  fifty  cooks  and  stewards  of  American  vessels, 
all  as  black  as  their  own  pots,  with  partners  of  the  usual  color 
and  bloom  of  English  girls.  I  have  as  few  prejudices  of  color  as 
any  American  well  can  have ;  but  I  will  confess  this  scene  struck 
me  as  being  painfully  out  of  keeping.  In  England,  however, 
nothing  seemed  to  be  thought  of  it ;  and  I  afterward  found  that 
marriages  between  English  women,  and  men  of  all  the  colors 
of  the  rainbow,  were  very  common  occurrences. 

When  he  had  given  me  this  ball  as  the  climax  of  his  com 
pliments,  Sweeney  betrayed  the  real  motive  of  all  his  attentions. 
After  drinking  a  pot  of  beer  extra,  well  laced  with  gin,  he  offered 
his  services  in  smuggling  any  thing  ashore  that  the  Amanda 
might  happen  to  contain,  and  which  I,  as  the  prize-master, 
might  feel  a  desire  to  appropriate  to  my  own  particular  pur 
poses.  I  met  the  proposal  with  a  little  warmth,  letting  my 
tempter  understand  that  I  considered  his  offer  so  near  an  insult, 
that  it  must  terminate  our  acquaintance.  The  man  seemed 
astounded.  In  the  first  place,  he  evidently  thought  all  goods 
and  chattels  were  made  to  be  plundered,  and  then  he  was  of 
opinion  that  plundering  was  a  very  common  "  Yankee  trick." 
Had  I  been  an  Englishman,  he  might  possibly  have  understood 
my  conduct ;  but,  with  him,  it  was  so  much  a  habit  to  fancy  an 
American  a  rogue,  that,  as  I  afterward  discovered,  he  was  try 
ing  to  persuade  the  leader  of  a  press-gang  that  I  was  the  half- 
ed  icated  and  illegitimate  son  of  some  English  merchant,  who 

*  There  is  said  to  be  foundation  for  this  story. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  171 

wished  to  pass  himself  off  for  an  American.  I  pretend  not  to 
account  for  the  contradiction,  though  I  have  often  met  with  the 
same  moral  phenomena  among  his  countrymen  ;  but  here  was 
as  regular  a  rogue  as  ever  cheated,  who  pretended  to  think 
roguery  indigenous  to  certain  nations,  among  whom  his  own 
was  not  included. 

At  length  I  was  cheered  with  the  sight  of  the  Crisis,  as  she 
came  drifting  through  the  tiers,  turning  and  twisting,  and  glan 
cing  along,  just  as  the  Amanda  had  done  before  her.  The  pilot 
carried  her  to  moorings  quite  near  us ;  and  Talcott,  Neb  and  I 
were  on  board  her  before  she  was  fairly  secured.  My  reception 
was  very  favorable,  Captain  Williams  having  seen  the  account 
of  the  "  Yankee  trick"  in  the  papers ;  and,  understanding  the 
thing  just  as  it  had  happened,  he  placed  the  most  advantageous 
construction  on  all  I  had  done.  For  myself,  I  confess  I  never 
had  any  misgivings  on  the  subject. 

All  hands  of  us  were  glad  to  be  back  in  the  Crisis  again. 
Captain  Williams  had  remained  at  Falmouth  longer  than  he 
expected,  to  make  some  repairs  that  could  not  be  thoroughly 
completed  at  sea,  which  alone  prevented  him  from  getting  into 
the  river  as  soon  as  I  did  myself.  Now  the  ship  was  in,  we  no 
longer  felt  any  apprehension  of  being  impressed,  Sweeney's 
malignancy  having  set  several  of  the  gang  upon  the  scent  after 
us.  Whether  the  fellow  actually  thought  I  was  an  English  sub 
ject  or  not,  is  more  than  I  ever  knew ;  but  I  felt  no  disposition 
myself  to  let  the  point  be  called  in  question  before  my  Lord 
Chief  Justice  of  a  Rendezvous.  The  Bang's  Bench  was  more 
governed  by  safe  principles,  in  its  decisions,  than  the  gentle 
men  who  presided  in  these  marine  courts  of  the  British  navy. 

As  I  was  the  only  officer  in  the  ship  who  had  ever  seen  any 
thing  of  London,  my  fortnight's  experience  made  me  a  notable 
man  in  the  cabin.  It  was  actually  greater  preferment  for  me 
than  when  I  was  raised  from  third  to  be  second  mate.  Marble 
was  all  curiosity  to  see  the  English  capital,  and  he  made  me 
promise  to  be  his  pilot,  as  soon  as  duty  would  allow  time  for  a 
btroll,  and  to  show  him  everything  I  had  seen  myself.  We 


172  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

soon  got  out  the  cargo,  and  then  took  in  ballast  for  our  north 
west  voyage ;  the  articles  we  intended  to  traffic  with  on  the 
coast,  being  too  few  and  too  light  to  fill  the  ship.  This  kept 
us  busy  for  a  fortnight,  after  which  we  had  to  look  about  us  to 
obtain  men  to  supply  the  places  of  those  who  had  been  killed, 
or  sent  away  in  la  Dame  de  Nantes.  Of  course  we  preferred 
Americans ;  and  this  so  much  the  more,  as  Englishmen  were 
liable  to  be  pressed  at  any  moment.  Fortunately,  a  party  of 
men  that  had  been  taken  out  of  an  American  ship,  a  twelve 
month  before,  by  an  English  cruiser,  had  obtained  their  dis 
charges  ;  and  they  all  came  to  London,  for  the  double  purpose 
of  getting  some  prize  money,  and  of  obtaining  passages  home. 
These  lads  were  pleased  with  the  Crisis  and  the  voyage,  and,  in 
stead  of  returning  to  their  own  country,  sailor-like,  they  took  ser 
vice  to  go  nearly  round  the  world.  These  were  first-rate  men — 
Delaware-river  seamen — and  proved  a  great  accession  to  our 
force.  We  owed  the  windfall  to  the  reputation  the  ship  had 
obtained  by  her  affairs  with  the  letter-of-marque ;  an  account  of 
which,  copied  from  the  log-book,  and  a  little  embellished  by 
some  one  on  shore,  the  consignee  had  taken  care  should  appear 
in  the  journals.  The  history  of  the  surprise,  in  particular,  read 
very  well ;  and  the  English  were  in  a  remarkably  good  humor, 
at  that  time,  to  receive  an  account  of  any  discomfiture  of  a 
Frenchman.  At  no  period  since  the  year  1775,  had  the  Amer 
ican  character  stood  so  high  in  England  as  it  did  just  then ; 
the  two  nations,  for  a  novelty,  fighting  on  the  same  side.  Not 
long  after  we  left  London,  the  underwriters  at  Lloyd's  actually 
voted  a  handsome  compliment  to  an  American  commander  for 
capturing  a  French  frigate.  Stranger  things  Have  happened 
than  to  have  the  day  arrive  when  English  and  American  fleets 
may  be  acting  in  concert.  No  one  can  tell  what  is  in  the  womb 
of  time ;  and  I  have  lived  long  enough  to  know  that  no  man 
can  foresee  who  will  continue  to  be  his  friends,  or  a  nation  what 
people  may  become  its  enemies. 

The  Crisis  at  length  began  to  take  in  her  bales  and  boxes  for 
the  north-west  coast,  and,  as  the  articles  were  received  slowly, 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  173 

or  a  few  packages  at  a  time,  it  gave  us  leisure  for  play.  Our 
captain  was  in  such  good-humor  with  us,  on  account  of  the 
success  of  the  outward-bound  passage,  that  he  proved  very  in 
dulgent.  This  disposition  was  probably  increased  by  the  cir 
cumstance  that  a  ship  arrived  in  a  very  short  passage  from  New 
York,  which  spoke  our  prize ;  all  well,  with  a  smacking  southerly 
breeze,  a  clear  coast,  and  a  run  of  only  a  few  hundred  miles  to 
make.  This  left  the  almost  moral  certainty  that  la  Dame  de 
Nantes  had  arrived  safe,  no  Frenchman  being  likely  to  trust 
herself  on  that  distant  coast,  which  was  now  alive  with  our  own 
cruisers,  going  to  or  returning  from  the  West  Indies. 

I  had  a  laughable  time  in  showing  Marble  the  sights  of  Lon 
don.  We  began  with  the  wild  beasts  in  the  Tower,  as  in  duty 
bound  ;  but  of  these  our  mate  spoke  very  disparagingly.  He 
had  been  too  often  in  the  East  "  to  be  taken  in  by  such  ani 
mals  ;"  and,  to  own  the  truth,  the  cockneys  were  easily  satisfied 
on  the  score  of  their  menagerie.  We  next  went  to  the  Monu 
ment  ;  but  this  did  not  please  him.  He  had  seen  a  shot-tower 
in  America — there  was  but  one  in  that  day — that  beat  it  out 
and  out  as  to  height,  and  he  thought  in  beauty,  too.  There 
was  no  reasoning  against  this.  St.  Paul's  rather  confounded 
him.  He  frankly  admitted  there  was  no  such  church  at  Kenne- 
bunk ;  though  he  did  not  know  but  Trinity,  New  York,  "  might 
stand  up  alongside  of  it."  "  Stand  up  alongside  of  it !"  I  re 
peated,  laughing.  "  Why,  Mr.  Marble,  Trinity,  steeple  and  all, 
could  stand  up  in  it — under  that  dome — and  then  leave  more 
room  in  this  building  than  all  the  other  churches  in  New  York 
contain,  put  altogether." 

It  was  a  long  time  before  Marble  forgave  this  speech.  He 
said  it  was  "unpatriotic;"  a  word  which  was  less  used  in  1799 
than  it  is  used  to-day,  certainly,  but  which,  nevertheless,  was 
used.  It  often  meant  then,  as  now,  a  thick  and  thin  pertinacity 
in  believing  in  provincial  marvels ;  and,  in  this,  Marble  was  one 
of  the  most  patriotic  men  with  whom  I  ever  met.  I  got  him 
out  of  the  church,  and  along  Fleet  street,  through  Temple  Bar, 
and  into  the  Strand,  however,  in  peace ;  aud  then  we  emerged 


174  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

into  the  arena  of  fashion,  aristocracy  and  the  court.  After  a 
time  we  worked  our  way  into  Hyde  Park,  where  we  brought  up, 
to  make  our  observations. 

Marble  was  deeply  averse  to  acknowledging  all  the  admiration 
he  really  felt  at  the  turn-outs  of  London,  as  they  were  exhibited 
in  the  Park,  of  a  fine  day,  in  their  season.  It  is  probable  the 
world  elsewhere  never  saw  any  thing  approaching  the  beauty 
and  magnificence  that  is  here  daily  seen,  at  certain  tunes,  so  far 
as  beauty  and  magnificence  are  connected  with  equipages,  in 
cluding  carriages,  horses,  and  servants.  Unable  to  find  fault 
with  the  tout  ensemble,  our  mate  made  a  violent  attack  on  the 
liveries.  He  protested  it  was  indecent  to  put  a  "  hired  man" — 
the  word  help  never  being  applied  to  the  male  sex,  I  believe,  by 
the  most  fastidious  New  England  purist — in  a  cocked-hat;  a 
decoration  that  ought  to  be  exclusively  devoted  to  the  uses  of 
ministers  of  the  gospel,  governors  of  states,  and  militia  officers. 
I  had  some  notions  of  the  habits  of  the  great  world,  through 
books,  and  some  little  learned  by  observation  and  listening ;  but 
Marble  scouted  at  most  of  my  explanations.  He  put  his  own 
construction  on  every  thing  he  saw ;  and  I  have  often  thought, 
since,  could  the  publishers  of  travels  have  had  the  benefit  of  his 
blunders,  how  many  would  have  profited  by  them.  Gentlemen 
were  just  then  beginning  to  drive  their  own  coaches ;  and  I  re 
member  in  a  particular  instance,  an  ultra  in  the  new  mode  had 
actually  put  his  coachman  in  the  inside,  while  he  occupied  the 
dickey  in  person.  Such  a  gross  violation  of  the  proprieties  was 
unusual,  even  in  London ;  but  there  sat  Jehu,  in  all  the  dignity 
of  cotton-lace,  plush,  and  a  cocked-hat.  Marble  took  it  into  his 
head  that  this  man  was  the  king,  and  no  reasoning  of  mine 
could  persuade  him  to  the  contrary.  In  vain  I  pointed  out  to 
him  a  hundred  similar  dignitaries,  in  the  proper  exercise  of  their 
vocation,  on  the  hammer-cloths ;  he  cared  not  a  straw — this  was 
not  showing  him  one  inside  ;  and  a  gentleman  inside  of  a  car 
riage,  who  wore  so  fine  a  coat,  and  a  cocked-hat  in  the  bargain, 
oould  be  nothing  less  than  some  dignitary  of  the  empire;  and 
why  not  the  king !  Absurd  as  all  this  will  seem,  I  have  known 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  1 75 

mistakes,  connected  with  the  workings  of  our  own  institutions, 
almost  as  great,  made  by  theorists  from  Europe. 

While  Marble  and  I  were  wrangling  on  this  very  point,  a  little 
incident  occurred,  which  led  to  important  consequences  in  the 
end.  Hackney-coaches,  or  any  other  public  conveyance,  short 
of  post-chaises  and  post-horses,  are  not  admitted  into  the  Eng 
lish  parks.  But  glass-coaches  are ;  meaning  by  this  term,  which 
is  never  used  in  America,  hired  carriages  that  do  not  go  on  the 
stands.  We  encountered  one  of  these  glass-coaches  in  a  very 
serious  difficulty.  The  horses  had  got  frightened  by  means  of 
a  wheelbarrow,  aided,  probably,  by  some  bad  management  of 
the  driver,  and  had  actually  backed  the  hind  wheels  of  the  ve 
hicle  into  the  water  of  the  canal.  They  would  have  soon  had 
the  whole  carriage  submerged,  and  have  followed  it  themselves, 
had  it  not  been  for  the  chief  mate  and  myself.  I  thrust  the 
wheelbarrow  under  one  of  the  forward  wheels,  just  in  time  to 
prevent  the  final  catastrophe ;  while  Marble  grasped  the  spoke 
with  his  iron  gripe,  and,  together,  he  and  the  wheelbarrow  made 
a  resistance  that  counterbalanced  the  backward  tendency  of  the 
team.  There  was  no  footman ;  and,  springing  to  the  door,  I 
aided  a  sickly-looking,  elderly  man,  a  female,  who  might  very 
well  have  been  his  wife,  and  another  that  I  took  for  his  daugh 
ter,  to  escape.  By  my  agency  all  three  were  put  on  the  dry 
land,  without  even  wetting  their  feet,  though  I  fared  worse  my 
self.  No  sooner  were  they  safe,  than  Marble,  who  was  up  to  his 
shoulders  in  the  water,  and  who  had  made  prodigious  efforts  to 
maintain  the  balance  of  power,  released  his  hold,  the  wheelbar 
row  gave  way  at  the  same  moment,  and  the  whole  affair,  coach 
•rind  horses,  had  their  will,  and  went,  stern  foremost,  overboard. 
One  of  the  horses  was  saved,  I  believe,  and  the  other  drowned ; 
but,  a  crowd  soon  collecting,  I  paid  little  attention  to  what  was 
going  on  in  the  carriage,  as  soon  as  its  cargo  was  discharged. 

The  gentleman  we  had  saved  pressed  my  hand  with  fervor, 
and  Marble's,  too  ;  saying  that  we  must  not  quit  him — that  we 
must  go  home  with  him.  To  this  we  consented  readily  enough, 
thinking  we  might  still  be  of  use.  As  we  all  walked  toward  one 


176  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

of  the  more  private  entrances  of  the  Park,  I  had  an  opportunity 
of  observing  the  people  we  had  served.  They  were  very  re 
spectable  in  appearance  ;  but  I  knew  enough  of  the  world  to 
see  that  they  belonged  to  what  is  called  the  middle  class  in 
England.  I  thought  the  man  might  be  a  soldier ;  while  the  two 
females  had  an  air  of  great  respectability,  though  not  in  the  least 
of  fashion.  The  girl  appeared  to  be  nearly  as  old  as  myself,  and 
was  decidedly  pretty.  Here,  then,  was  an  adventure  !  I  had 
saved  the  life  of  a  damsel  of  seventeen,  and  had  only  to  fall  in 
love  to  become  the  hero  of  a  romance. 

At  the  gate,  the  gentleman  stopped  a  hackney-coach,  put  the 
females  in,  and  desired  us  to  follow.  But  to  this  we  would  not 
consent,  both  being  wet,  and  Marble  particularly  so.  After  a 
short  parley,  he  gave  us  an  address  in  Norfolk  street,  Strand ; 
and  we  promised  to  stop  there  on  our  way  back  to  the  ship. 
Instead  of  following  the  carriage,  however,  we  made  our  way  on 
foot  into  the  Strand,  where  we  found  an  eating-house,  turned  in 
and  eat  a  hearty  dinner  each,  the  chief  mate  resorting  to  some 
brandy  in  order  to  prevent  his  taking  cold.  On  what  principle 
this  is  done,  I  cannot  explain,  though  I  know  it  is  often  prac 
tised,  and  in  all  quarters  of  the  world. 

As  soon  as  we  had  dined  and  dried  ourselves,  we  went  into 
Norfolk  street.  We  had  been  told  to  ask  for  Major  Merton, 
and  this  we  did.  The  house  was  one  of  those  plain  lodging- 
houses,  of  which  most  of  that  part  of  the  town  is  composed ; 
and  we  found  the  major  and  his  family  in  the  occupation  of  the 
first  floor,  a  mark  of  gentility  on  which  some  stress  is  laid  in 
England.  It  was  plain  enough,  however,  to  see  that  these  peo 
ple  were  not  rolling  in  that  splendor  of  which  we  had  just  seen 
so  much  in  the  Park. 

"  I  can  trace  the  readiness  and  gallantry  of  the  English  tar 
in  your  conduct,"  observed  the  major,  after  he  had  given  us 
both  quite  as  warm  a  reception  as  circumstances  required,  at 
the  same  time  taking  out  his  pocket-book,  and  turning  over 
some  bank-notes.  "  I  wish,  for  your  sakes,  I  was  better  able 
than  I  am  to  reward  you  for  what  yon  have  done ;  but  twenty 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  177 

pounds  is  all  I  can  now  offer.  At  some  other  time  circum 
stances  may  place  it  in  my  power  to  give  further  and  better 
proofs  of  my  gratitude." 

As  this  was  said,  the  major  held  two  ten-pound  notes  toward 
Marble,  doubtless  intending  that  I  should  receive  one  of  them 
as  a  fair  division  of  the  spoils.  Now,  according  to  all  theory, 
and  the  established  opinion  of  the  Christian  world,  America  is 
the  avaricious  country ;  the  land,  of  all  others,  in  which  men  are 
the  most  greedy  of  gain ;  in  which  human  beings  respect  gold 
more,  and  themselves  less,  than  in  any  other  portion  of  this 
globe.  I  never  dispute  any  thing  that  is  settled  by  the  common 
consent  of  my  fellow-creatures,  for  the  simple  reason  that  I  know 
the  decision  must  be  against  me ;  so  I  will  concede  that  money 
is  the  great  end  of  American  life — that  there  is  little  else  to  live 
for  in  the  great  model  republic.  Politics  have  fallen  into  such 
hands,  that  office  will  not  even  give  social  station ;  the  people 
are  omnipotent,  it  is  true ;  but,  though  they  can  make  a  gov 
ernor,  they  cannot  make  gentlemen  and  ladies ;  even  kings  are 
sometimes  puzzled  to  do  that;  literature,  arms,  arts,  and  fame 
of  all  sorts  are  unattainable  in  their  rewards  among  us,  as  in 
other  nations,  leaving  the  puissant  dollar  in  its  undisturbed 
ascendency ;  still,  as  a  rule,  twenty  Europeans  can  be  bought 
with  two  ten-pound  Bank  of  England  notes  much  easier  than 
two  Americans.  I  leave  others  to  explain  the  phenomenon ;  I 
only  speak  of  the  fact. 

Marble  listened  to  the  major's  speech  with  great  attention 
and  respect,  fumbling  in  his  pocket  for  his  tobacco-box  the  whole 
time.  The  box  was  opened  just  as  the  major  ended,  and  even 
I  began  to  be  afraid  that  the  well-known  cupidity  of  Kennebunk 
was  about  to  give  way  before  the  temptation,  and  the  notes 
were  to  be .  stowed  alongside  of  the  tobacco ;  but  I  was  mis 
taken.  Deliberately  helping  himself  to  a  quid,  the  chief  mate 
shut  the  box  again,  and  then  he  made  his  reply. 

"  Quite  ginerous  in  you,  major,"  he  said,  "  and  all  ship-shape 
and  right.  I  like  to  see  things  done  just  in  that  way.  Put  up 
the  money ;  we  thank  yon  as  much  as  if  we  could  take  it,  and 
8* 


178  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

that  squares  all  accounts.  I  would  just  mention,  however,  to 
prevent  mistakes,  as  the  other  idee  might  get  us  impressed,  that 
this  young  man  and  I  are  both  born  Americans — he  from  up 
the  Hudson  somewhere,  and  I  from  York  city,  itself,  though 
edicated  down  East." 

"  Americans !"  resumed  the  major,  drawing  himself  up  a  little 
stiffly ;  "  then  you,  young  man,"  turning  to  me,  and  holding  out 
the  notes,  of  which  he  now  seemed  as  anxious  to  be  rid,  as  I 
had  previously  fancied  he  was  sorry  to  see  go — "  you  will  do 
me  the  favor  to  accept  of  this  small  token  of  my  gratitude." 

"  It  is  quite  impossible,  sir,"  I  answered,  respectfully.  "  We 
are  not  exactly  what  we  seem,  and  you  are  probably  deceived 
by  our  roundabouts ;  but  we  are  the  first  and  second  officers  of 
a  letter-of-marque." 

At  the  word  "  officers,"  the  major  drew  back  his  hand,  and 
hastily  apologized.  He  did  not  understand  us  even  then,  I 
could  plainly  see ;  but  he  had  sufficient  sagacity  to  understand 
that  his  money  would  not  be  accepted.  We  were  invited  to  sit 
down,  and  the  conversation  continued. 

"Master  Miles,  there,"  resumed  Marble,  "has  an  estate,  a 
place  called  Clawbonny,  somewhere  up  the  Hudson ;  and  he  has 
no  business  to  be  sailing  about  the  world  in  jacket  and  trowsers, 
when  he  ought  to  be  studying  law,  or  trying  his  hand  at  college. 
But  as  the  old  cock  crows,  the  young  'un  1'arns ;  his  father  was 
a  sailor  before  him,  and  I  suppose  that 's  the  reason  on  't." 

This  announcement  of  my  position  ashore  did  me  no  harm, 
and  I  could  see  a  change  in  the  deportment  of  the  whole  family 
— not  that  it  had  ever  treated  me  haughtily,  or  even  coldly ; 
but  it  now  regarded  me  as  more  on  a  level  with  itself.  We 
remained  an  hour  with  the  Mertons,  and  I  promised  to  repeat 
the  call  before  we  sailed.  This  I  did  a  dozen  times,  at  least ; 
and  the  major,  finding,  I  suppose,  that  he  had  a  tolerably  well- 
educated  youth  to  deal  with,  was  of  great  service  in  putting  me 
in  a  better  way  of  seeing  London.  I  went  to  both  theatres 
with  the  family,  taking  care  to  appear  in  a  well-made  suit  of 
London  clothes,  in  which  I  made  quite  as  respectable  a  figure 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 


179 


as  most  of  the  young  men  I  saw  in  the  streets.  Even  Emily 
smiled  when  she  first  saw  me  in  my  long  togs,  and  I  thought 
she  blushed.  She  was  a  pretty  creature ;  gentle  and  mild  in 
her  ordinary  deportment,  but  full  of  fire  and  spirit  at  the  bottom, 
as  I  could  see  by  her  light,  blue,  English  eye.  Then  she  had 
been  well  educated ;  and  in  my  young  ignorance  of  life,  I  fancied 
she  knew  more  than  any  girl  of  seventeen  I  had  ever  met  with. 
Grace  and  Lucy  were  both  clever,  and  had  been  carefully  taught 
by  Mr.  Hardinge ;  but  the  good  divine  could  not  give  two  girls, 
in  the  provincial  retirement  of  America,  the  cultivation  and 
accomplishments  that  were  within  the  reach  of  even  moderate 
means  in  England.  To  me,  Emily  Merton  seemed  a  marvel  in 
the  way  of  attainments ;  and  I  often  felt  ashamed  of  myself,  as  I 
t>at  at  her  side,  listening  to  the  natural  and  easy  manner  in 
•which  she  alluded  to  things,  of  which  I  then  heard  for  the  first 
time. 


130  A.FLOAT      AND      ASH  ORB. 


CHAPTER  XL 

u  Boatswain  1" 

"  Here,  master :  what  cheer  ?" 
"Good:  speak  to  the  mariners ;  fall  to't 
Tarely,  or  we  run  ourselves  aground :  bestir,  bestir." 

TEMPIOT. 

As  Captain  Williams  wished  to  show  me  some  favor  for  the 
manner  in  which  I  had  taken  care  of  the  brig,  he  allowed  me 
as  much  time  ashore  as  I  asked  for.  I  might  never  see  London 
again ;  and,  understanding  I  had  fallen  into  good  company,  he 
threw  no  obstacle  in  the  way  of  my  profiting  by  it.  So  care 
ful  was  he,  indeed,  as  to  get  one  of  the  consul's  clerks  to  ascer 
tain  who  the  Mertons  were,  lest  I  should  become  the  dupe  of 
the  thousands  of  specious  rogues  with  which  London  abounds. 
The  report  was  favorable,  giving  us  to  understand  that  the 
major  had  been  much  employed  in  the  West  Indies,  where  he 
still  held  a  moderately  lucrative,  semi-military  appointment, 
being  then  in  England  to  settle  certain  long  and  vexatious  ac 
counts,  as  well  as  to  take  Emily,  his  only  child,  from  school. 
He  was  expected  to  return  to  the  old,  or  some  other  post,  in  the 
course  of  a  few  months.  A  portion  of  this  I  gleaned  from 
Emily  herself,  and  it  was  all  very  fairly  corroborated  by  the 
account  of  the  consul's  clerk.  There  was  no  doubt  that  the 
Mertons  were  persons  of  respectable  position;  without  having 
any  claims,  however,  to  be  placed  very  high.  From  the  major, 
moreover,  I  learned  he  had  some  American  connections,  his  father 
having  married  in  Boston. 

For  my  part,  I  had  quite  as  much  reason  to  rejoice  at  the 
chance  which  threw  me  in  the  way  of  the  Mertons,  as  they  had. 
If  I  was  instrumental  in  saving  their  lives,  as  was  undeniably 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  181 

the  case,  they  taught  me  more  of  the  world,  in  the  ordinary 
social  sense  of  the  phrase,  than  I  had  learned  in  all  my  previous 
life.  I  make  no  pretensions  to  having  seen  London  society ; 
that  lay  far  beyond  the  reach  of  Major  Merton  himself,  who 
was  born  the  son  of  a  merchant,  when  merchants  occupied  a 
much  lower  position  in  the  English  social  scale  than  they  do  to 
day,  and  had  to  look  to  a  patron  for  most  of  his  own  advance 
ment.  But,  he  was  a  gentleman ;  maintained  the  notions, 
sentiments,  and  habits  of  the  caste  ;  and  was  properly  conscious 
of  my  having  saved  his  life  when  it  was  in  great  jeopardy.  As 
for  Emily  Merton,  she  got  to  converse  with  me  with  the  freedom 
.of  a  friend ;  and  very  pleasant  it  was  to  hear  pretty  thoughts 
expressed  in  pretty  language,  and  from  pretty  lips.  I  could 
perceive  that  she  thought  me  a  little  rustic  and  provincial ;  but 
I  had  not  been  all  the  way  to  Canton  to  be  browbeaten  by  a 
cockney  girl,  however  clever  and  handsome.  On  the  whole — 
and  I  say  it  without  vanity,  at  this  late  day — I  think  the  im 
pression  left  behind  me,  among  these  good  people,  was  favora 
ble.  Perhaps  Clawbonny  was  not  without  its  influence ;  but, 
when  I  paid  my  last  visit,  even  Emily  looked  sorrowful,  and  her 
mother  was  pleased  to  say  they  should  all  miss  me  much.  The 
major  made  me  promise  to  hunt  him  up,  should  I  ever  be  in 
Jamaica,  or  Bombay  ;  for  one  of  which  places  he  expected  to 
sail  himself,  with  his  wife  and  daughter,  in  the  course  of  a  few 
months.  I  knew  he  had  had  one  appointment,  thought  he  might 
receive  another,  and  hoped  every  thing  would  turn  out  for  the 
best. 

The  Crisis  sailed  on  her  day ;  and  she  went  to  sea  from  the 
Downs,  a  week  later,  with  a  smacking  southerly  wind.  Our 
Philadelphians  turned  out  a  noble  set  of  fellows ;  and  we  had 
the  happiness  of  beating  an  English  sloop-of-war,  just  as  we  got 
clear  of  the  Channel,  in  a  fair  trial  of  speed.  To  lessen  our 
pride  a  little,  a  two-decker  that  was  going  to  the  Mediterranean, 
treated  us  exactly  in  the  same  manner,  only  three  days  later. 
What  made  this  last  affair  more  mortifying,  was  the  fact  that 
Marble  had  just  satisfied  himself,  and  all  hands,  that,  a  sloop-of- 


182  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

•war  being  the  fastest  description  of  vessel,  and  we  having  got 
the  better  of  one  of  them,  it  might  be  fairly  inferred  we  could 
outsail  the  whole  British  navy.  I  endeavored  to  console  him, 
by  reminding  him  that  "  the  race  was  not  always  to  the  swift." 
He  growled  out  some  sort  of  an  answer,  denouncing  all  sayings, 
and  desiring  to  know  out  of  what  book  I  had  picked  up  that 
nonsense. 

I  have  no  intention  of  dwelling  on  every  little  incident  that 
occurred  on  the  long  road  we  were  now  travelling.  We  touched 
at  Madeira,  and  landed  an  English  family  that  went  there  for 
the  benefit  of  an  invalid  ;  got  some  fruit,  fresh  meat,  and  vege 
tables,  and  sailed  again.  Our  next  stopping  place  was  Rio, 
whither  we  went  for  letters  .from  home,  the  captain  being 
taught  to  expect  them.  The  ship's  letters  were  received,  and 
they  were  filled  with  eulogiums  on  our  good  conduct,  having 
been  written  after  the  arrival  of  la  Dame  de  Nantes;  but  great 
was  my  disappointment  on  finding  there  was  not  even  a  scrawl 
for  myself. 

Our  stay  at  Rio  was  short,  and  we  left  port  with  a  favorable 
slant  of  wind,  running  as  far  south  as  50°  in  a  very  short  time. 
As  we  drew  near  to  the  southern  extremity  of  the  American 
continent,  however,  we  met  with  heavy  weather  and  foul  winds. 
We  were  now  in  the  month  that  corresponds  to  November  in 
the  northern  hemisphere,  and  had  to  double  the  Horn  at  that 
unpropitious  season  of  the  year,  going  westward.  There  is  no 
part  of  the  world  of  which  navigators  have  given  accounts  so 
conflicting,  as  of  this  celebrated  passage.  Each  man  appears  to 
have  described  it  as  he  found  it,  himself,  while  no  two  seem  to 
have  found  it  exactly  alike.  I  do  not  remember  to  have  ever 
heard  of  calms  off  Cape  Horn;  but  light  winds  are  by  no 
means  uncommon,  though  tempests  are  undoubtedly  the  pre 
dominant  characteristic.  Our  captain  had  already  been  round 
four  times,  and  he  held  the  opinion  that  the  season  made  no 
difference,  and  that  it  was  better  to  keep  near  the  land.  We 
shaped  our  course  accordingly  for  Staten  Land,  intending  to 
pass  through  the  Straits  of  Le  Maire,  and  hug  the  Horn  as  close 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  183 

as  possible  in  doubling  it.  We  made  the  Falkland  Islands,  or 
West  Falkland  rather,  just  as  the  sun  rose,  one  morning,  bear 
ing  a  little  on  our  weather-quarter,  with  the  wind  blowing 
heavily  at  the  eastward.  The  weather  was  thick,  and,  what 
was  still  worse,  there  was  so  little  day,  and  no  moon,  that  it  was 
getting  to  be  ticklish  work  to  be  standing  for  a  passage  as  nar 
row  as  that  we  aimed  at.  Marble  and  I  talked  the  matter  over, 
between  ourselves,  and  wished  the  captain  could  be  persuaded 
to  haul  up  and  try  to  go  to  the  eastward  of  the  island,  as  was 
still  possible,  with  the  wind  where  it  was.  Still,  neither  of  us 
dared  propose  it ;  I,  on  account  of  my  youth,  and  the  chief 
mate,  as  he  said,  on  account  of  "  the  old  fellow's  obstinacy." 
"  He  likes  to  be  poking  about  in  such  places,"  Marble  added, 
"  and  is  never  so  happy  as  when  he  is  running  round  the  ocean 
in  places  where  it  is  full  of  unknown  islands,  looking  for  sandal 
wood  and  beche-la-mar !  I'll  warrant  you,  he'll  give  us  a  fa 
mous  time  of  it,  if  he  ever  gets  us  up  on  the  north-west  coast." 
Here  the  consultation  terminated,  we  mates  believing  it  wiser  to 
let  things  take  their  course. 

I  confess  to  having  seen  the  mountains  on  our  weather-quar 
ter  disappear,  with  melancholy  forebodings.  There  was  little 
hope  of  getting  any  observation  that  day ;  and  to  render  mat 
ters  worse,  about  noon  the  wind  began  to  haul  more  to  the 
southward.  As  it  hauled,  it  increased  in  violence,  until,  at 
midnight,  it  blew  a  gale;  the  commencement  of  such  a  tempest 
as  I  had  never  witnessed  in  any  of  my  previous  passages  at  sea. 
As  a  matter  of  course,  sail  was  reduced  as  fast  as  it  became 
necessary,  until  we  had  brought  the  ship  down  to  a  close-reefed 
main-topsail,  the  fore-topmast  staysail,  the  fore-course,  and  the 
mizzen  staysail.  This  was  old-fashioned  canvas ;  the  more  re 
cent  spencer  being  then  unknown. 

Our  situation  was  now  far  from  pleasant.  The  tides -and  cur 
rents,  in  that  high  latitude,  run  with  great  velocity ;  and  then, 
at  a  moment  when  it  was  of  the  greatest  importance  to  know 
precisely  where  the  ship  was,  we  were  left  in  the  painful  uncer 
tainty  of  conjecture,  and  theories  that  might  be  very  wide  of 


184  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

the  truth.  The  captain  had  nerve  enough,  notwithstanding,  to 
keep  on  the  larboard  tack  until  daylight,  in  the  hope  of  getting 
in  sight  of  the  mountains  of  Terra  del  Fuego.  No  one  now 
expected  we  should  be  able  to  fetch  through  the  Straits ;  but  it 
would  be  a  great  relief  to  obtain  a  sight  of  the  land,  as  it  would 
enable  us  to  get  some  tolerably  accurate  notions  of  our  position. 
Daylight  came  at  length,  but  it  brought  no  certainty.  The 
weather  was  so  thick,  between  a  drizzling  rain,  sea-mist,  and  the 
spray,  that  it  was  seldom  we  could  see  a  league  around  us,  and 
frequently  not  half  a  mile.  Fortunately,  the  general  direction  of 
the  eastern  coast  of  Terra  del  Fuego  is  from  north-west  to  south 
east,  always  giving  us  room  to  ware  off-shore,  provided  we  did 
not  unexpectedly  get  embarrassed  in  some  one  of  the  many 
deep  indentations  of  that  wild  and  inhospitable  shore. 

Captain  Williams  showed  great  steadiness  in  the  trying  cir 
cumstances  in  which  we  were  placed.  The  ship  was  just  far 
enough  south  to  render  it  probable  she  could  weather  Falkland 
Islands  on  the  other  tack,  could  we  rely  upon  the  currents ;  but 
it  would  be  ticklish  work  to  undertake  such  a  thing  in  the  long, 
intensely  dark  nights  we  had,  and  thus  run  the  risk  of  finding 
ourselves  on  a  lee-shore.  He  determined,  therefore,  to  hold  on 
as  long  as  possible,  on  the  tack  we  were  on,  expecting  to  get 
through  another  night  without  coming  upon  the  land,  every 
hour  now  giving  us  the  hope  that  we  were  drawing  near  to  the 
termination  of  the  gale.  I  presume  he  felt  more  emboldened 
to  pursue  this  course,  by  the  circumstance  that  the  wind  evi 
dently  inclined  to  haul,  little  by  little,  more  to  the  southward, 
which  was  not  only  increasing  our  chances  of  laying  past  the 
islands,  but  lessened  the  danger  from  Terra  del  Fuego. 

Marble  was  exceedingly  uneasy  during  that  second  night.  He 
remained  on  deck  with  me  the  whole  of  the  morning  watch ; 
not  thafe  he  distrusted  my  discretion  in  the  least,  but  because  he 
distrusted  the  wind  and  the  land.  I  never  saw  him  in  so  much 
concern  before,  for  it  was  his  habit  to  consider  himself  a  timber 
of  the  ship,  that  was  to  sink  or  swim  with  the  craft. 

"  Miles,"   said   he,    "  you  .and  I  know    something  of  these 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  186 

'bloody  currents,'  and  we  know  they  take  a  ship  one  way, 
while  she  looks  as  fiercely  the  other  as  a  pig  that  is  dragged  aft 
by  the  tail.  If  we  had  run  down  the  50th  degree  of  longitude, 
now,  we  might  have  had  plenty  of  sea-room,  and  been  laying 
past  the  Cape  with  this  very  wind;  but  no,  the  old  fellow 
would  have  had  no  islands  in  that  case,  and  he  never  could  be 
happy  without  half  a  dozen  islands  to  bother  him." 

"  Had  we  run  down  the  50th  degree  of  longitude,"  I  answered, 
"  we  should  have  had  twenty  degrees  to  make  to  get  round  the 
Horn ;  whereas,  could  we  only  lay  through  the  Straits  of  Le 
Maire,  six  or  eight  of  those  very  same  degrees  would  carry  us 
clear  of  every  thing." 

"  Only  lay  through  the  Straits  of  Le  Maire,  on  the  10th  No 
vember,  or,  what  is  the  same  thing  in  this  quarter  of  the  world, 
of  May,  and  with  less  than  nine  hours  of  daylight !  And  such 
daylight  too !  Why,  our  Newfoundland  fogs,  such  stuff  as  I 
used  to  eat  when  a  youngster  and  a  fisherman,  are  high  noon  to 
it !  Soundings  are  out  of  the  question  hereabouts ;  and  before 
one  has  hauled  in  the  deep-sea,  with  all  its  line  out,  his  cut-water 
may  be  on  a  rock.  This  ship  is  so  weatherly  and  drags  ahead 
so  fast,  that  we  shall  see  terra  firma  before  any  one  has  a  notion 
of  it.  The  old  man  fancies,  because  the  coast  of  Fuego  trends 
to  the  north-west,  that  the  land  will  fall  away  from  us  as  fast  as 
we  draw  toward  it.  I  hope  he  may  live  long  enough  to  per 
suade  all  hands  that  he  is  right !" 

Marble  and  I  were  conversing  on  the  forecastle  at  the  time, 
our  eyes  turned  to  the  westward,  for  it  was  scarcely  possible  for 
him  to  look  in  any  other  direction,  when  he  interrupted  himself 
by  shouting  out,  "  hard  up  with  the  helm — spring  to  the  after- 
braces,  my  lads — man  mizzen-staysail  downhaul !"  This  set 
everybody  in  motion,  and  the  captain  and  third  mate  were  OD 
deck  in  a  minute.  The  ship  fell  off,  as  soon  as  we  got  the  miz- 
zen  staysail  in,  and  the  main -topsail  touching.  Gathering  way 
fast,  as  she  got  the  wind  more  aft,  her  helm  threw  her  stem  up, 
and  away  she  went  like  a  top.  The  fore-topmast  staysail-sheet 
was  tended  with  care,  and  vet  the  cloth  emitted  a  sound  like 


186  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

the  report  of  a  swivel,  when  the  sail  first  filled  on  the  other 
tack.  We  got  the  starboard  fore-tack' forward,  and  the  larboard 
sheet  aft,  by  two  tremendously  severe  drags,  the  blocks  and 
bolts  seeming  fairly  to  quiver  as  they  felt  the  strains.  Every 
thing  succeeded,  however,  and  the  Crisis  began  to  drag  off  from 
the  coast  of  Terra  del  Fuego,  of  a  certainty ;  but  to  go  whither, 
no  one  could  precisely  tell.  She  headed  up  nearly  east,  the 
wind  playing  about  between  south-and-by-east,  and  south-east  - 
and-by-south.  On  that  course,  I  own  I  had  now  great  doubt 
whether  she  could  lay  past  the  Falkland  Islands,  though  I  felt 
persuaded  we  must  be  a  long  distance  from  them.  There  was 
plenty  of  time  before  us  to  take  the  chances  of  a  change. 

As  soon  as  the  ship  was  round,  and  trimmed  by  the  wind  on 
the  other  tack,  Captain  Williams  had  a  grave  conversation  with 
the  chief  mate,  on  the  subject  of  his  reason  for  what  he  had 
done.  Marble  maintained  that  he  had  caught  a  glimpse  of  the 
land  ahead — "just  as  you  know  I  did  of  la  Dame  de  Nantes, 
Captain  Williams,"  he  continued;  "and  seeing  there  was  no  time 
to  be  lost,  I  ordered  the  helm  hard  up,  to  ware  off  shore."  I 
distrusted  this  account,  even  while  it  was  in  the  very  process  of 
coming  out  of  the  chief  mate's  mouth,  and,  Marble  afterward 
admitted  to  me,  quite  justly ;  but  the  captain  either  was  satis 
fied,  or  thought  it  prudent  to  seem  so.  By  the  best  calculations 
I  afterward  made,  I  suppose  we  must  have  been  from  fifteen  to 
twenty  leagues  from  the  land  when  we  wore  ship ;  but,  as  Mar 
ble  said,  when  he  made  his  private  confessions,  "  Madagascar 
was  quite  enough  for  me,  Miles,  without  breaking  our  nose  on 
this  sea-gull  coast ;  and  there  may  be  '  bloody  currents'  on  this 
side  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  as  well  as  on  the  other.  We've 
got  just  so  much  of  a  gale  and  a  foul  wind  to  weather,  and  the 
ship  will  do  both  quite  as  well  with  her  head  to  the  eastward,  as 
with  her  head  to  the  westward." 

All  that  day  the  Crisis  stood  on  the  starboard  tack,  dragging 
through  the  raging  waters  as  it  might  be  by  violence ;  and  just 
as  night  shut  in  again,  she  wore  round,  once  more,  with  her 
head  to  the  westward.  So  far  from  abating,  the  wind  increased, 


AFLOAT     AND     ASHORE.  187 

and  toward  evening  we  found  it  necessary  to  furl  our  topsail  and 
fore-course.  Mere  rag  of  a  sail  as  the  former  had  been  reduced 
to,  with  its  four  reefs  in,  it  was  a  delicate  job  to  roll  it  up.  Neb 
and  I  stood  together  on  the  bunt,  and  never  did  I  exert  myself 
more  than  on  that  occasion.  The  foresail,  too,  was  a  serious 
matter,  but  we  got  both  in  without  losing  either.  Just  as  the 
sun  set,  or  as  night  came  to  increase  the  darkness  of  that  gloomy 
day,  the  fore-topmast  staysail  went  out  of  the  bolt-rope,  with  a 
report  that  was  heard  ah1  over  the  ship,  disappearing  in  the  mist 
like  a  cloud  driving  in  the  heavens.  A  few  minutes  later,  the 
mizzen  staysail  was  hauled  down  in  order  to  prevent  it  from  trav 
elling  the  same  road.  The  jerks  even  this  low  canvas  occasionally 
gave  the  ship,  made  her  tremble  from  her  keel  to  her  trucks. 

For  the  first  time  I  now  witnessed  a  tempest  at  sea.  Gales, 
and  pretty  hard  ones,  I  had  often  seen ;  but  the  force  of  the 
wind  on  this  occasion  as  much  exceeded  that  in  ordinary  gales 
of  wind,  as  the  force  of  these  had  exceeded  that  of  a  whole-sail 
breeze.  The  seas  seemed  crushed,  the  pressure  of  the  swooping 
atmosphere,  as  the  currents  of  the  air  went  howling  over  the 
surface  of  the  ocean,  fairly  preventing  them  from  rising;  or, 
where  a  mound  of  water  did  appear,  it  was  scooped  up  and 
borne  off  in  spray,  as  the  axe  dubs  inequalities  from  the  log. 
In  less  than  an  hour  after  it  began  to  blow  the  hardest  there 
was  no  very  apparent  swell — the  deep  breathing  of  the  ocean  is 
never  entirely  stilled — and  the  ship  was  as  steady  as  if  hove 
half  out,  her  lower  yard-arms  nearly  touching  the  water,  an  in 
clination  at  which  they  remained  as  steadily  as  if  kept  there  by 
purchases.  A  few  of  us  were  compelled  to  go  as  high  as  the 
futtock-shrouds  to  secure  the  sails,  but  higher  it  was  impossible 
to  get.  I  observed  that  when  I  thrust  out  a  hand  to  clutch  any 
thing,  it  was  necessary  to  make  the  movement  in  such  a  direc 
tion  as  to  allow  for  lee-way,  precisely  as  a  boat  quarters  the 
stream  in  crossing  against  a  current.  In  ascending  it  was  diffi 
cult  to  keep  the  feet  on  the  ratlins,  and  in  descending  it  required 
a  strong  effort  to  force  the  body  down  toward  the  centre  of 
gravity.  I  make  no  doubt,  had  I  groped  my  way  up  to  the 


188  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

cross-trees,  and  leaped  overboard,  my  body  would  have  struck 
the  water  thirty  or  forty  yards  from  the  ship.  A  marlinspike 
falling  from  either  top  would  have  endangered  no  one  on  deck. 

When  the  day  returned,  a  species  of  lurid,  sombre  light  was 
diffused  over  the  watery  waste,  though  nothing  was  visible  but 
the  ocean  and  the  ship.  Even  the  sea-birds  seemed  to  have 
taken  refuge  in  the  caverns  of  the  adjacent  coast,  none  reap 
pearing  with  the  dawn.  The  air  was  full  of  spray,  and  it  was 
with  difficulty  that  the  eye  could  penetrate  as  far  into  the  humid 
atmosphere  as  half  a  mile.  All  hands  mustered  on  deck  as  a 
matter  of  course,  no  one  wishing  to  sleep  at  a  time  like  that. 
As  for  us  officers,  we  collected  on  the  forecastle,  the  spot  where 
danger  would  first  make  itself  apparent,  did  it  come  from  the 
side  of  the  land. 

It  is  not  easy  to  make  a  landsman  understand  the  embar 
rassments  of  our  situation.  We  had  had  no  observations  for 
several  days,  and  had  been  moving  about  by  dead  reckoning,  in 
a  part  of  the  ocean  where  the  tides  run  like  a  mill-tail,  with  the 
wind  blowing  a  little  hurricane.  Even  now,  when  her  bows 
were  half  submerged,  and  without  a  stitch  of  canvas  exposed, 
the  Crisis  drove  ahead  at  the  rate  of  three  or  four  knots,  luffing 
as  close  to  the  wind  as  if  she  carried  after-sail.  It  was  Marble's 
opinion  that,  in  such  smooth  water,  do  all  we  could,  the  vessel 
would  drive  toward  the  much-dreaded  land  again,  between  sun 
and  sun  of  that  short  day,  a  distance  of  from  thirty  to  forty 
miles.  "  Nor  is  this  all,  Miles,"  he  added  to  me,  in  an  aside ; 
"  I  no  more  like  this  'bloody  current,'  than  that  we  had  over  on 
the  other  side  of  the  pond,  when  we  broke  our  back  on  the  rocks 
of  Madagascar.  You  never  see  as  smooth  water  as  this,  unless 
when  the  wind  and  current  are  travelling  in  the  same  direction." 
I  made  no  reply,  but  there  all  four  of  us,  the  captain  and  his 
three  mates,  stood  looking  anxiously  into  the  vacant  mist  on 
our  lee-bow,  as  if  we  expected  every  moment  to  behold  our 
homes.  A  silence  of  ten  minutes  succeeded,  and  I  was  still 
gazing  in  the  same  direction,  when  by  a  sort  of  mystic  rising 
Lf  the  curtain,  I  fancied  I  saw  a  beach  of  long  extent,  with  a 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  189 

dark-looking  waste  of  low  bottom  extending  inland,  for  a  con 
siderable  distance.  The  beach  did  not  appear  to  be  distant  half 
a  knot,  while  the  ship  seemed  to  glide  along  it,  as  compared 
with  visible  objects  on  shore,  at  a  rate  of  six  or  eight  miles  the 
hour.  It  extended  almost  in  a  parallel  line  with  our  course,  too, 
as  far  as  could  be  seen,  both  astern  and  ahead. 

"  What  a  strange  delusion  is  this  !"  I  thought  to  myself,  and 
turned  to  look  at  my  companions,  when  I  found  all  looking  one 
at  the  other,  as  if  to  ask  a  common  explanation. 

"  There  is  no  mistake  here,"  said  Captain  Williams,  quietly. 
"  That  is  land,  gentlemen." 

"  As  true  as  the  gospel,"  answered  Marble,  with  the  sort  of 
steadiness  despair  sometimes  gives.  "  What  is  to  be  done,  sir  ?" 

"  What  can  be  done,  Mr.  Marble  ?  We  have  not  room  to 
ware,  and,  of  the  two,  there  seems,  so  far  as  I  can  judge,  more 
sea-room  ahead  than  astern." 

This  was  so  apparent,  there  was  no  disputing  it.  We  could 
still  see  the  land,  looking  low,  chill,  and  of  the  hue  of  November  ; 
and  we  could  also  perceive  that  ahead,  if  any  thing,  it  fell  off  a 
little  toward  the  northward,  while  astern  it  seemingly  stretched 
in  a  due  line  with  our  course.  That  we  passed  it  with  great 
velocity,  too,  was  a  circumstance  that  our  eyes  showed  us  too 
plainly  to  admit  of  any  mistake.  As  the  ship  was  still  without 
a  rag  of  sail,  borne  down  by  the  wind  as  she  had  been  for  hours, 
and  burying  to  her  hawse-holes  forward,  it  was  only  to  a  racing 
tide,  or  current  of  some  sort,  that  we  could  be  indebted  for  our 
speed.  We  tried  the  lead,  and  got  bottom  in  six  fathoms  ! 

The  captain  and  Marble  now  held  a  serious  consultation. 
That  the  ship  was  entering  some  sort  of  an  estuary  was  certain, 
but  of  what  depth,  how  far  favored  by  a  holding-ground,  or  how 
far  without  any  anchorage  at  all,  were  facts  that  defied  our  in 
quiries.  We  knew  that  the  land  called  Terra  del  Fuego  was,  in 
truth,  a  cluster  of  islands,  intersected  by  various  channels  and 
passages,  into  which  ships  had  occasionally  ventured,  though 
their  navigation  had  never  led  to  any  other  results  than  some 
immaterial  discoveries  in  geography.  That  we  were  entering 


190  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

one  of  these  passages,  and  under  favorable  circumstances,  though 
so  purely  accidental,  was  the  common  belief;  and  it  only  re 
mained  to  look  out  for  the  best  anchorage,  while  we  had  day 
light.  Fortunately,  as  we  drove  into  the  bay,  or  passage,  or 
whatever  it  was,  the  tempest  lifted  less  spray  from  the  water, 
and,  owing  to  this  and  other  causes,  the  atmosphere  gradually 
grew  clearer.  By  ten  o'clock,  we  could  see  fully  a  league,  though 
I  can  hardly  say  that  the  wind  blew  less  fiercely  than  before. 
As  for  sea,  there  was  none,  or  next  to  none ;  the  water  being  as 
smooth  as  in  a  river. 

The  day  drew  on,  and  we  began  to  feel  increased  uneasiness 
at  the  novelty  of  our  situation.  Our  hope  and  expectation  were 
to  find  some  anchorage ;  but  to  obtain  this  it  was  indispensable 
also  to  find  a  lee.  As  the  ship  moved  forward,  we  still  kept  the 
land  in  view,  on  our  starboard  hand,  but  that  was  a  lee,  instead 
of  a  weather-shore ;  the  last  alone  could  give  our  ground-tackle 
any  chance  whatever  in  such  a  tempest.  We  were  drawing 
gradually  away  from  this  shore,  too,  which  trended  more  north 
erly,  giving  us  additional  sea-room.  The  fact  that  we  were  in  a 
powerful  tide's  way,  puzzled  us  the  most  There  was  but  one 
mode  of  accounting  for  the  circumstance.  Had  we  entered  a 
bay,  the  current  must  have  been  less,  and  it  seemed  necessary 
there  should  be  some  outlet  to  such  a  swift  accumulation  of 
water.  It  was  not  the  mere  rising  of  the  water,  swelling  in  an 
estuary,  but  an  arrow-like  glancing  of  the  element,  as  it  shot 
through  a  pass.  We  had  a  proof  of  this  last  fact  about  eleven 
o'clock,  that  admitted  of  no  dispute.  Land  was  seen  directly 
ahead,  at  that  hour,  and  great  was  the  panic  it  created.  A 
second  look,  however,  reassured  us,  the  land  proving  to  be 
merely  a  rocky  islet  of  some  six  or  eight  acres  in  extent  We 
gave  it  a  berth,  of  course,  though  we  examined  closely  for  an 
anchorage  near  it,  as  we  approached.  The  islet  was  too  low 
and  too  small  to  make  any  lee,  nor  did  we  like  the  looks  of  the 
holding-ground.  The  notion  of  anchoring  there  was  consequent 
ly  abandoned ;  but  we  had  now  some  means  of  noting  our  prog 
ress.  The  ship  was  kept  a  little  away,  in  order  to  give  this  isl- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  191 

and  a  berth,  and  the  gale  drove  her  through  the  water  at  the 
rate  of  seven  or  eight  knots.  This,  however,  was  far  from  being 
our  whole  speed,  the  tide  sweeping  us  onward  at  a  furious  rate, 
in  addition.  Even  Captain  Williams  thought  we  must  be  pass 
ing  that  rock  at  the  rate  of  fifteen  knots  ! 

It  was  noon,  and  there  was  no  abatement  in  the  tempest,  no 
change  in  the  current,  no  means  of  returning,  no  chance  of  stop 
ping  ;  away  we  were  driven,  like  events  ruled  by  fate.  The  only 
change  was  the  gradual  clearing  up  of  the  atmosphere,  as  we  re 
ceded  from  the  ocean,  and  got  farther  removed  from  its  mists 
and  spray.  Perhaps  the  power  of  the  gale  had,  in  a  small  de 
gree,  abated,  by  two  o'clock,  and  it  would  have  been  possible  to 
carry  some  short  sail ;  but,  there  being  no  sea  to  injure  us,  it 
was  unnecessary,  and  the  ship  continued  to  drive  ahead,  under 
bare  poles.  Night  was  the  time  to  dread. 

There  was  now  but  one  opinion  among  us,  and  that  was 
this  : — we  thought  the  ship  had  entered  one  of  the  passages 
that  intersect  Terra  del  Fuego,  and  that  there  was  the  chance  of 
soon  finding  a  lee,  as  these  channels  were  known  to  be  very  irreg 
ular  and  winding.  To  run  in  the  night  seemed  impossible;  nor 
was  it  desirable,  as  it  was  almost  certain  we  should  be  compelled 
to  return  by  the  way  we  had  entered,  to  extricate  ourselves  from 
the  dangers  of  so  intricate  a  navigation.  Islands  began  to  ap 
pear,  moreover,  and  we  had  indications  that  the  main  passage 
itself  was  beginning  to  diminish  in  width.  Under  the  circum 
stances,  therefore,  it  was  resolved  to  get  every  thing  ready,  and 
to  let  go  two  anchors  as  soon  as  we  could  find  a  suitable  spot. 
Between  the  hours  of  two  and  four,  the  ship  passed  seventeen 
islets,  some  of  them  quite  near ;  but  they  afforded  no  shelter. 
At  last,  and  it  was  time,  the  sun  beginning  to  fall  very  low,  as 
we  could  see  by  the  waning  light,  we  saw  an  island  of  some 
height  and  size  ahead,  and  we  hoped  it  might  afford  us  a  lee. 
The  tide  had  changed  too,  and  that  was  in  our  favor.  Turning 
to  windward,  however,  was  out  of  the  question,  since  we  could 
carry  no  sail,  and  the  night  was  near.  Anchor,  then,  we  must, 
or  continue  to  drive  onward  in  the  darkness,  sheered  about  in 


192  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

all  directions  by  a  powerful  adverse  current.  It  is  true,  this 
current  would  have  been  a  means  of  safety,  by  enabling  us  to 
haul  up  from  rocks  and  dangers  ahead,  could  we  carry  any  can 
vas  ;  but  it  still  blew  too  violently  for  the  last.  To  anchor, 
then,  it  was  determined. 

I  had  never  seen  so  much  anxiety  in  Captain  Williams's  coun 
tenance,  as  when  he  was  approaching  the  island  mentioned. 
There  was  still  light  enough  to  observe  its  outlines  and  shores, 
the  last  appearing  bold  and  promising.  As  the  island  itself 
may  have  been  a  mile  in  circuit,  it  made  a  tolerable  lee,  when 
close  to  it.  This  was  then  our  object,  and  the  helm  was  put  to 
starboard  as  we  went  slowly  past,  the  tide  checking  our  speed. 
The  ship  sheered  into  a  sort  of  roadstead — a  very  wild  one  it 
was — as  soon  as  she  had  room.  It  was  ticklish  work,  for  no 
one  could  tell  how  soon  we  might  hit  a  rock ;  but  we  went  clear, 
luffing  quite  near  to  the  land,  where  we  let  go  both  bowers  at 
the  same  instant.  The  ship's  way  had  been  sufficiently  dead 
ened,  by  throwing  her  up  as  near  the  wind  as  she  could  be  got, 
and  there  was  no  difficulty  in  snubbing  her.  The  lead  gave  us 
seven  fathoms,  and  this  within  pistol-shot  of  the  shore.  WP. 
knew  we  were  temporarily  safe.  The  great  point  was  to  ascer 
tain  how  the  vessel  would  tend,  and  with  how  much  strain  upon 
her  cables.  To  everybody's  delight,  it  was  found  we  were  in  a 
moderate  eddy,  that  drew  the  ship's  stern  from  the  island,  and 
allowed  her  to  tend  to  the  wind,  which  still  had  a  fair  range 
from  her  topsail-yards  to  the  trucks.  Lower  down,  the  tempest 
scuffled  about,  howling  and  eddying,  and  whirling  first  to  one 
side  and  then  to  the  other,  in  a  way  to  prove  how  much  its 
headlong  impetuosity  was  broken  and  checked  by  the  land.  It 
is  not  easy  to  describe  the  relief  we  felt  at  these  happy  chances. 
It  was  like  giving  foothold  to  some  wretch  who  thought  a  de 
scent  of  the  precipice  was  inevitable. 

The  ship  was  found  to  ride  easily  by  one  cable,  and  the  hands 
were  sent  to  the  windlass  to  heave  up  the  other  anchor,  as  our 
lead  told  us  we  had  rocks  beneath  us,  and  the  captain  was 
afraid  of  the  chafing.  The  larboard  bower  anchor  was  catted 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  103 

immediately,  and  there  it  was  left  suspended,  with  a  range  of 
cable  overhauled,  in  readiness  to  let  go  at  a  moment's  notice. 
After  this  the  people  were  told  to  get  their  suppers.  As  for 
us  officers,  we  had  other  things  to  think  of.  The  Crisis  carried 
a  small  quarter-boat,  and  this  was  lowered  into  the  water,  the 
third  mate  and  myself  maimed  its  oars,  and  away  we  went  to 
carry  the  captain  round  the  ship,  in  order  that  he  mi^iit  ascer 
tain  the  soundings,  should  it  be  necessary  to  get  under  way  in 
the  night.  The  examination  was  satisfactory  on  all  points  but 
one,  that  of  the  holding-ground ;  and  we  returned  to  the  vessel, 
having  taken  good  care  to  trust  ourselves  in  neither  the  wind 
nor  the  current.  An  anchor-watch  was  set,  with  a  mate  on 
deck,  four  hours  and  four  hours,  and  all  hands  turned  in. 

I  had  the  morning  watch.  What  occurred  from  seven  o'clock 
(the  captain  keeping  the  dog-watches  himself,)  until  a  few 
minutes  before  four,  I  cannot  tell  in  detail,  though  I  understood 
generally,  that  the  wind  continued  to  blow  in  the  same  quarter, 
though  it  gradually  diminished  in  violence,  getting  down  to 
something  like  a  mere  gale,  by  midnight.  The  ship  rode  more 
easily ;  but  when  the  flood  came  in,  there  was  no  longer  an 
eddy,  the  current  sucking  round  each  side  of  the  island  in  a 
very  unusual  manner.  About  ten  minutes  before  the  hour  when 
it  was  my  regular  watch  on  deck,  all  hands  were  called ;  I  ran  on 
deck,  and  found  the  ship  had  struck  adrift,  the  cable  having 
parted.  Marble  had  got  the  vessel's  head  up  to  the  wind,  under 
bare  poles  as  before,  and  we  soon  began  to  heave  in  the  cable. 
It  was  found  that  the  mischief  had  been  done  by  the  rocks,  the 
strands  being  chafed  two  thirds  through.  As  soon  as  the  cur 
rent  took  the  vessel's  hull  with  force,  the  cable  parted.  We 
lost  our  anchor,  of  course,  for  there  was  no  possible  way  of 
getting  back  to  the  island  at  present,  or  until  the  ebb  again 
made. 

It  wanted  several  hours  of  day,  and  the  captain  called  a  coun 
cil.  He  told  us,  he  made  no  doubt  that  the  ship  had  got  into 
one  of  the  Terra  del  Fuego  passages,  guided  by  Providence ; 
and  as  he  supposed  we  must  be  almost  as  far  south  as  Staten 


194  AFLOAT     AND     ASHORE. 

Land,  he  was  of  opinion  we  had  made  an  important  discovery ! 
Get  back  we  could  not,  so  long  as  the  wind  held  where  it  was, 
and  he  was  disposed  to  make  sail,  and  push  the  examination  of  the 
channel,  as  far  as  circumstances  would  allow.  Captain  Williams 
had  a  weakness  on  this  point,  that  was  amiable  and  respectable 
perhaps,  but  which  hardly  comported  with  the  objects  and  pru 
dence  of  a  trading  shipmaster.  We  were  not  surprised,  there 
fore,  at  hearing  his  suggestion;  and,  in  spite  of  the  danger, 
curiosity  added  its  impulses  to  our  other  motives  of  acquiescing. 
We  could  not  get  back  as  the  wind  then  was,  and  we  were  dis 
posed  to  move  forward.  As  for  the  dangers  of  the  navigation, 
they  seemed  to  be  lessening  as  we  advanced,  fewer  islands  ap 
pearing  ahead,  and  the  passage  itself  grew  wider.  Our  course, 
however,  was  more  to  the  southward,  bringing  the  ship  close  up 
by  the  wind  once  more. 

The  morning  promised  to  be  lighter  than  we  had  found  the 
weather  for  several  days,  and  we  even  experienced  some  benefit 
from  the  moon.  The  wind,  too,  began  to  back  round  to  the 
eastward  again,  as  we  approached  the  dawn ;  and  we  got  tb* 
three  topsails,  close- reefed,  the  fore-course,  and  a  new  fore-top 
mast  staysail,  on  the  ship.  At  length  day  appeared,  and  the 
sun  was  actually  seen  struggling  among  dark  masses  of  wild- 
looking,  driving  clouds.  For  the  first  time  since  we  entered 
those  narrow  waters,  we  now  got  a  good  look  around  us.  The 
land  could  be  seen  in  all  directions. 

The  passage  in  which  we  found  the  Crisis,  at  suniise  on  the 
morning  of  the  second  of  these  adventurous  days,  was  of  several 
leagues  in  width ;  and  bounded,  especially  on  the  north,  by  high, 
precipitous  mountains,  many  of  which  were  covered  with  snow. 

The  channel  was  unobstructed;  and  not  an  island,  islet,  or 
rock,  was  visible.  No  impediment  to  our  proceeding  offered, 
and  we  were  still  more  encouraged  to  push  on.  The  course  we 
were  steering  was  about  south-south-west,  and  the  captain  pre 
dicted  we  should  come  out  into  the  ocean  to  the  westward  of 
the  Straits  of  Le  Maire,  and  somewhere  near  the  Cape  itself. 
We  should  unquestionably  make  a  great  discovery !  The  wind 


AFLOAT     AND     ASHORE.  195 

continued  to  back  round,  and  soon  got  to  be  abaft  the  beam. 
We  now  shook  our  reefs  out,  one  after  another,  and  \vc  had 
whole  topsails  on  the  vessel  by  nine  o'clock.  This  was  carrying 
hard,  it  must  be  owned }.  but  the  skipper  was  determined  to 
make  hay  while  the  sun  shone.  There  were  a  few  hours,  when 
I  think  the  ship  went  fifteen  knots  by  the  land,  being  so  much 
favored  by  the  current.  Little  did  we  know  the  difficulties 
toward  which  we  were  rushing ! 

Quite  early  in  the  day,  land  appeared  ahead,  and  Marble 
began  to  predict  that  our  rope  was  nearly  run  out.  We  were 
coming  to  the  bottom  of  a  deep  bay.  Captain  Williams  thought 
differently ;  and  when  he  discovered  a  narrow  passage  between 
two  promontories,  he  triumphantly  predicted  our  near  approach 
to  the  Cape.  He  had  seen  some  such  shape  to  the  mountains 
inland,  in  doubling  the  Horn,  and  the  hill-tops  looked  like  old 
acquaintances.  Unfortunately,  we  could  not  see  the  sun  at 
meridian,  and  got  no  observation.  For  several  hours  we  ran 
south-westerly,  in  a  passage  of  no  great  width,  when  we  came 
to  a  sudden  bend  in  our  course,  which  led  us  away  to  the  north 
west.  Here  we  still  had  the  tide  with  us,  and  we  then  all  felt  cer 
tain  that  we  had  reached  a  point  where  the  ebb  must  flow  in  a 
direction  contrary  to  that  in  which  we  had  found  it  in  the 
other  parts  of  the  passage.  It  followed,  that  we  were  now  half 
way  through  to  the  ocean,  though  the  course  we  were  steering 
predicted  a  sinuous  channel.  We  were  certainly  not  going  now 
toward  Cape  Horn. 

Notwithstanding  the  difficulties  and  doubts  which  beset  us, 
Captain  Williams  packed  on  the  ship,  determined  to  get  ahead 
as  fast  as  he  could,  while  there  was  light.  It  no  longer  blew  a 
gale,  and  the  wind  was  hauling  more  to  the  southward  again.  It 
soon  got  to  be  right  aft,  and  before  sunset  it  had  a  little  westing 
in  it.  Fortunately,  it  moderated,  and  we  set  our  mainsail  and 
topgallant-sails.  We  had  carried  a  lower  and  topmast  stud 
ding-sails  nearly  all  day.  The  worst  feature  in  our  situation, 
now,  was  the  vast  number  of  islands,  or  islets,  we  met.  The 
shore  on  each  side  was  mountainous  and  rude,  and  deep  inden- 


196  AFLOAT     AND     ASHORE. 

tations  were  constantly  tempting  us  to  turn  aside.  But,  rightly 
judging  that  the  set  of  the  tide  was  a  fair  index  to  the  true 
course,  the  captain  stood  on. 

The  night  that  followed  was  one  of  the  most  anxious  I  ever 
passed.  We  were  tempted  to  anchor  a  dozen  times,  in  some 
of  the  different  bays,  of  which  we  passed  twenty ;  but  could 
not  make  up  our  minds  to  risk  another  cable.  We  met  the 
flood  a  little  after  sunset,  and  got  rid  of  it  before  morning.  But 
the  wind  kept  hauling,  and  at  last  it  brought  us  fairly  on  a  taut 
bowline  ;  under  topgallant-sails,  however.  We  had  come  too 
far  to  recede,  or  now  would  have  been  the  time  to  turn  round, 
and  retrace  our  steps.  But  we  hoped  every  moment  to  reach 
some  inclination  south,  again,  that  would  carry  us  into  the  open 
sea.  We  ran  a  vast  many  chances  of  shipwreck,  passing  fright 
fully  near  several  reefs ;  but  the  same  good  Providence  which 
had  so  far  protected  us,  carried  us  clear.  Never  was  I  so  re 
joiced  as  when  I  saw  day  returning. 

We  had  the  young  ebb,  and  a  scant  wind,  when  the  sun  rose 
next  day.  It  was  a  brilliant  morning,  however,  and  everybody 
predicted  an  observation  at  noon.  The  channel  was  fall  of 
islands,  still,  and  other  clangers  were  not  wanting ;  but,  as  we 
could  see  our  way,  we  got  through  them  all  safely.  At  length 
our  course  became  embarrassed,  so  many  large  islands,  with 
passages  between  them,  offering  on  different  sides.  One  head 
land,  however,  lay  before  us ;  and,  the  ship  promising  to  weath 
er  it,  we  held  on  our  way.  It  was  just  ten  o'clock  as  we  ap 
proached  this  cape,  and  we  found  a  passage  westward  that 
actually  led  into  the  ocean  !  All  hands  gave  three  cheers  as 
we  became  certain  of  this  fact,  the  ship  tacking  as  soon  as  far 
enough  ahead,  and  setting  seaward  famously  with  the  tide. 

Captain  Williams  now  told  us  to  get  our  quadrants,  for  the 
heavens  were  cloudless,  and  we  should  have  a  horizon  in  time 
for  the  sun.  He  was  anxious  to  get  the  latitude  of  our  discov 
ery.  Sure  enough,  it  so  fell  out,  and  we  prepared  to  observe ; 
some  predicting  one  parallel,  some  another.  As  for  the  skipper 
himself,  he  said  he  thought  we  were  still  to  the  eastward  of  the 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  197 

Cape ;  but  he  felt  confident  that  we  had  come  out  to  the  west 
ward  of  Le  Maire.  Marble  was  silent;  but  ho  had  observed, 
and  made  his  calculations,  before  cither  of  the  others  had  com 
menced  the  last.  I  saw  him  scratch  his  head,  and  go  to  the 
chart  which  lay  on  the  companion-way.  Then  I  heard  him 
shout — 

"  In  the  Pacific,  by  St.  Kennebunk !" — he  always  swoi«  by 
this  pious  individual  when  excited.  "  We  have  come  through 
the  Straits  of  Magellan  without  knowing  it !" 


198  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

"Sound  trumpets,  ho! — weigh  anchor — loosen  sail — 
The  seaward-flying  banners  chide  delay; 
As  If  'twere  heaven  that  breathes  this  kindly  gale, 
Our  life-bark  beneath  it  speeds  away." 

PlNKNKT. 

THE  stout  ship  Crisis  had,  like  certain  persons,  done  a  good 
thing  purely  by  chance.  Had  her  exploit  happened  in  the  year 
1519,  instead  of  that  of  1800,  the  renowned  passage  we  had 
just  escaped  from  would  have  been  called  the  Crisis  Straits,  a 
better  name  than  the  mongrel  appellation  it  now  bears ;  which 
is  neither  English  nor  Portuguese.  The  ship  had  been  lost, 
like  a  man  in  the  woods,  and  came  nearer  home  than  those  in 
her  could  have  at  all  expected.  The  "  bloody  currents"  had 
been  at  the  bottom  of  the  mistake,  though  this  time  they  did 
good,  instead  of  harm.  Any  one  who  has  been  thoroughly  lost 
on  a  heath,  or  in  a  forest,  or  even  in  a  town,  can  comprehend 
how  the  head  gets  turned  on  such  occasions,  and  will  understand 
the  manner  in  which  we  had  mystified  ourselves. 

I  shall  remember  the  feelings  of  delight  with  which  I  looked 
around  me,  as  the  ship  passed  out  into  the  open  ocean,  to  my 
dying  day.  There  lay  the  vast  Pacific,  its  long,  regular  waves 
rolling  in  toward  the  coast,  in  mountain-like  ridges,  it  is  true, 
but  under  a  radiant  sun,  and  in  a  bright  atmosphere. '  Every 
body  was  cheered  by  the  view,  and  never  did  order  sour.d  more 
pleasant  in  my  ears,  than  when  the  captain  called  out  in  a  cheer 
ful  voice,  "  to  man  the  weather-braces."  This  command  was 
given  the  instant  it  was  prudent ;  and  the  ship  went  foaming 
passed  the  last  cape,  with  the  speed  of  a  courser.  Studding- 
sails  were  then  set,  and,  wh^r  the  sun  was  dipping,  we  had  a 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  199 

good  offing,  were  driving  to  the  northward  imdev  every  thing 
we  could  carry,  and  had  a  fair  prospect  of  an  excellent  run  from 
the  neighborhood  of  Terra  del  Fuego,  and  its  stormy  seas. 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  dwell  on  our  passage  along  the  west 
ern  coast  of  South  America.  A  voyage  to  the  Pacific  was  a 
very  different  thing  in  the  year  1800,  however,  from  what  it 
i  5  to-day.  The  power  of  Spain  was  then  completely  in  the  as 
cendant,  intercourse  with  any  nation  but  the  mother  country 
being  strictly  prohibited.  It  is  true,  a  species  of  commerce, 
that  was  called  the  "  forced  trade  on  the  Spanish  Main,"  existed 
under  that  code  of  elastic  morals  which  adapts  the  maxim  of 
"  your  purse  or  your  life"  to  modern  diplomacy  as  well  as  to 
the  habits  of  the  highwayman.  According  to  divers  masters  in 
the  art  of  ethics  now  flourishing  among  ourselves,  more  espec 
ially  in  the  atmosphere  of  the  journals  of  the  commercial  com 
munities,  the  people  that  "  can  trade  and  won't  trade  must  be 
made  to  trade."  At  the  commencement  of  the  century,  your 
mercantile  moralists  were  far  less  manly  in  the  avowal  of  their 
sentiments,  though  their  practices  were  in  no  degree  wanting  in 
the  spirit  of  our  more  modern  theories.  Ships  were  fitted  out, 
armed,  and  navigated,  on  this  just  principle,  quite  as  confident 
ly  and  successfully  as  if  the  tongue  had  declared  all  that  the 
head  had  conceived. 

Guarda-Costas  were  the  arguments  used,  on  the  other  side  of 
this  knotty  question,  by  the  authorities  of  Spain ;  and  a  very 
insufficient  argument,  on  the  whole,  did  they  prove  to  be.  It 
is  an  old  saying  that  vice  is  twice  as  active  as  virtue ;  the  last 
sleeping,  while  the  former  is  hard  at  work.  If  this  be  true  of 
things  in  general,  it  is  thrice  true  as  regards  smugglers  and 
custom-house  officers.  Owing  to  this  circumstance,  and  sundry 
other  causes,  it  is  certain  that  English  and  American  vessels 
found  the  means  of  plundering  the  inhabitants  of  South  America, 
at  the  period  of  which  I  am  writing,  without  having  recourse  to 
the  no  longer  reputable  violence  of  Dam  pier,  Wood,  Rogers,  or 
Drake.  As  I  feel  bound  to  deal  honestly  with  the  reader,  what 
ever  I  may  have  done  by  the  Spanish  laws,  I  shall  own  that  we 


200  AFLOAT       VND      ASHORE. 

made  one  or  two  calls  as  we  proceeded  north,  shoving  ashore 
certain  articles  purchased  in  London,  and  taking  on  board  dol 
lars  in  return  for  our  civility.  I  do  not  know  whether  I  am 
hound,  or  not,  to  apologize  for  my  own  agency  in  these  irregular 
transactions — regular  would  be  quite  as  apposite  a  word — for, 
had  I  been  disposed  to  murmur,  it  would  have  done  my  morals 
no  good,  nor  the  smuggling  any  harm.  Captain  Williams  was 
a  silent  man,  and  it  was  not  easy  to  ascertain  precisely  what  he 
thought  on  the  subject  of  smuggling  ;  but,  in  the  way  of  practice, 
I  never  saw  any  reason  to  doubt  that  he  was  a  firm  believer  in 
the  doctrine  of  Free  Trade.  As  for  Marble,  he  put  me  in  mind 
of  a  certain  renowned  editor  of  a  well-known  New  York  journal, 
who  evidently  thinks  that  all  things  in  heaven  and  earth,  sun, 
moon,  and  stars,  the  void  above,  and  the  caverns  beneath  us,  the 
universe,  in  short,  was  created  to  furnish  materials  for  newspaper 
paragraphs  ;  the  worthy  mate  just  as  confidently  believing  that 
coasts,  bays,  inlets,  roadsteads,  and  havens  were  all  intended  by  na 
ture  as  means  to  run  goods  ashore  wherever  the  duties  or  prohibi 
tions  rendered  it  inconvenient  to  land  them  in  the  more  legal  mode. 
Smuggling,  in  his  view  of  the  matter,  was  rather  more  creditable 
than  the  regular  commerce,  since  it  required  greater  cleverness. 

I  shall  not  dwell  on  the  movements  of  the  Crisis  for  the  five 
months  that  succeeded  her  escape  from  the  Straits  of  Magellan. 
Suffice  it  to  say,  that  she  anchored  at  as  many  different  points 
on  the  coast ;  that  all  which  came  up  the  main-hatch,  went 
ashore  ;  and  all  that  came  over  the  bulwarks,  was  passed  down 
into  the  run.  We  were  chased  by  guarda-costas  seven  times, 
escaping-  from  them  on  each  occasion,  with  ease ;  though  we 
had  three"  little  running  fights.  I  observed  that  Captain  Wil 
liams  was  desirous  of  engaging  these  emissaries  of  the  law  as 
easily  as  possible,  ordering  us  to  fire  altogether  at  their  spars.  I 
have  since  thought  that  this  moderation  proceeded  from  a  spe 
cies  of  principle  that  is  common  enough — a  certain  half-way 
code  of  right  and  wrong — which  encouraged  him  to  smuggle, 
but  which  caused  him  to  shrink  from  taking  human  life..  Youi 
Dalf-way  rogues  are  the  bane  of  honesty. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  201 

After  quitting  the  Spanish  coast,  altogether,  we  proceeded 
north,  with  the  laudable  intention  of  converting  certain  quanti 
ties  of  glass  beads,  inferior  jack-knives,  frying-pans,  and  other 
homely  articles  of  the  same  nature,  into  valuable  furs.  In  a 
word,  we  shaped  our  course  for  that  district  which  bids  fair  to 
set  the  mother  and  daughter  by  the  ears,  one  of  these  days, 
unless  it  shall  happen  to  be  disposed  of  d  la  Texas,  or,  what  is 
almost  as  bad,  d  la  Maine,  ere  long.  At  that  time  the  whole 
north-west  coast  was  unoccupied  by  white  men,  and  I  felt  no 
scruples  about  trading  with  the  natives  who  presented  them 
selves  with  their  skins  as  soon  as  we  had  anchored,  believing 
that  they  had  the  best  right  to  the  country  and  its  products. 
We  passed  months  in  this  traffic,  getting,  at  every  point  where 
we  stopped,  something  to  pay  us  for  our  trouble. 

We  went  as  far  north  as  53°,  and  that  is  pretty  much  all  1 
ever  knew  of  our  last  position.  At  the  time,  I  thought  we  had 
anchored  in  a  bay  on  the  mainland,  but  I  have  since  been  in 
clined  to  think  it  was  in  one  of  the  many  islands  that  line  that 
broken  coast.  We  got  a  very  secure  berth,  having  been  led  to 
it  by  a  native  pilot  who  boarded  us  several  leagues  at  sea,  and 
who  knew  enough  English  to  persua.de  our  captain  that  he  could 
take  us  to  a  point  where  sea-otter  skins  might  be  had  for  the 
asking.  Nor  did  the  man  deceive  us,  though  a  more  unpromis 
ing-looking  guide  never  had  charge  of  smuggling  Christians. 
He  carried  us  into  a  very  small  bay,  where  we  found  plenty  of 
water,  capital  holding-ground,  and  a  basin  as  smooth  as  a  dock. 
But  one  wind — that  which  blew  from  the  north-west — could 
make  any  impression  on  it,  and  the  effects  of  even  that  were 
much  broken  by  a  small  island  that  lay  abreast  of  the  entrance ; 
leaving  good  passages,  on  each  side  of  it,  out  to  sea.  The  basin 
itseJ  was  rather  small,  it  is  true,  but  it  did  well  enough  for 
a  single  ship.  Its  diameter  may  have  been  three  hundred 
yards,  and  I  never  saw  a  sheet  of  natural  water  that  was  so 
near  a  circle.  Into  a  place  like  this,  the  reader  will  imagine, 
we  did  not  venture  without  taking  the  proper  precautions. 
Marble  was  sent  in  first,  to  reconnoitre  and  sound,  and  it 
9* 


202  AFLOAT      AND     ASHORE. 

was  on  his  report  that  Captain  Williams  ventured  to  take  the 
ship  in. 

At  that  time,  ships  on  the  north-west  coast  had  to  use  the 
greatest  precautions  against  the  treachery  and  violence  of  the 
natives.  This  rendered  the  size  of  our  haven  the  subject  of  dis 
trust  ;  for,  lying  in  the  middle  of  it,  where  we  moored,  we  were 
barely  an  arrow's  flight  from  the  shore,  in  every  direction  but 
that  which  led  to  the  narrow  entrance.  It  was  a  most  secure 
anchorage,  as  against  the  dangers  of  the  sea,  but  a  most  insecure 
one  as  against  the  dangers  of  the  savages.  This  we  all  felt,  as 
soon  as  our  anchors  were  down  ;  but,  intending  to  remain  only 
while  we  bartered  for  the  skins  which  we  had  been  told  wero 
ready  for  the  first  ship  that  should  offer,  we  trusted  to  vigilance 
as  our  safeguard  in  the  interval. 

I  never  could  master  the  uncouth  sounds  of  the  still  more  un 
couth  savages  of  that  distant  region.  The  fellow  who  carried 
us  in  had  a  name  of  his  own,  doubtless,  but  it  was  not  to  be 
pronounced  by  a  Christian  tongue,  and  he  got  the  sobriquet  of 
the  Dipper  from  us,  owing  to  the  manner  in  which  he  ducked 
at  the  report  of  our  muskets,  which  had  been  discharged  by 
Marble  merely  with  the  intention  to  renew  the  cartridges.  We 
Lad  hardly  got  into  the  little  basin,  before  the  Dipper  left  us,  re 
turning  in  an  hour,  however,  with  a  canoe  loaded  to  the  water's 
edge  with  beautiful  skins,  and  accompanied  by  three  savages  as 
wild-looking,  seemingly  as  fierce,  and  certainly  as  avaricious  as 
he  was  himself.  These  auxiliaries,  through  various  little  circum 
stances,  were  known  among  us  that  same  afternoon,  by  the 
several  appellations  of  Smudge,  Tin-pot,  and  Slit-nose.  These 
Avere  not  heroic  names,  of  a  certainty,  but  their  owners  had  as 
little  of  the  heroic  in  their  appearance  as  usually  falls  to  the 
lot  of  man  in  the  savage  state.  I  cannot  tell  the  designation  of 
the  tribes  to  which  these  four  worthies  belonged,  nor  do  I  know 
any  more  of  their  history  and  pursuits  than  the  few  facts  which 
came  under  my  own  immediate  observation.  I  did  ask  some 
questions  of  the  captain,  with  a  view  to  obtain  a  few  ideas  on 
this  subject,  but  all  he  knew  was,  that  these  people  put  a  high 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  203 

value  on  blankets,  beads,  gunpowder,  frying-pans  and  old  hoops, 
and  that  they  set  a  remarkably  low  price  on  sea-otter  skins,  as 
well  as  on  the  external  coverings  of  sundry  other  animals.  An 
application  to  Mr.  Marble  was  still  less  successful,  being  met  by 
the  pithy  answer  that  he  was  "  no  naturalist,  and  knew  nothing 
about  these  critturs,  or  any  wild  beasts,  in  general."  Degraded 
as  the  men  certainly  were,  however,  we  thought  them  quite  good 
enough  to  be  anxious  to  trade  with  them.  Commerce,  like 
misery,  sometimes  makes  a  man  acquainted  with  strange  bed 
fellows. 

I  had  often  seen  our  own  Indians  after  they  had  become  de 
graded  by  their  intercourse  with  the  whites  and  the  use  of  rum, 
but  never  had  I  beheld  any  beings  so  low  in  the  scale  of  the 
human  race,  as  the  north-western  savages  appeared  to  be.  They 
seemed  to  be  the  Hottentots  of  our  own  continent.  Still  they 
were  not  altogether  without  the  means  of  commanding  our  re 
spect.  As  physical  men  they  were  both  active  and  strong,  and 
there  were  gleams  of  ferocity  about  them,  that  all  their  avarice 
and  art  could  not  conceal.  I  could  not  discover  in  their  usages, 
dress,  or  deportment,  a  single  trace  of  that  chivalrous  honor 
which  forms  so  great  a  relief  to  the  well-established  cruelty  of 
the  warriors  of  our  own  part  of  the  continent.  Then,  these  sea- 
otter  dealers  had  some  knowledge  of  the  use  of  fire-arms,  and 
were  too  well  acquainted  with  the  ships  of  us  civilized  men  to 
have  any  superstitious  dread  of  our  power. 

The  Dipper,  and  his  companions,  sold  us  one  hundred  and 
thirty-three  sea-otter  skins  the  very  afternoon  we  anchored. 
This,  of  itself,  was  thought  to  be  a  sufficient  reward  for  the 
trouble  and  risk  of  coming  into  this  unknown  basin.  Both  par- 
tics  seemed  pleased  with  the  results  of  the  trading,  and  we  were 
given  to  understand  that,  by  remaining  at  anchor,  we  might 
hope  for  six  or  eight  times  our  present  number  of  skins.  Cap 
tain  Williams  was  greatly  gratified  with  the  success  with  which 
he  had  already  met,  and  having  found  that  all  the  Dipper  had 
promised  came  true,  he  determined  to  remain  a  day  or  two,  in 
his  present  berth,  in  order  to  wait  for  more  bargains.  This 


204  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

resolution  was  no  sooner  communicated  to  the  savages  than 
they  expressed  their  delight,  sending  off  Tin-pot  and  Slit-nose 
with  the  intelligence,  while  the  Dipper  and  Smudge  remained 
in  the  ship,  apparently  on  terms  of  perfect  good-fellowship  with 
everybody  on  board.  The  gentry  of  the  north-west  coast  be 
ing  flagrant  thieves,  however,  all  hands  had  orders  to  keep  a 
good  look-out  on  our  two  guests,  Captain  Williams  expressing 
his  intention  to  flog  them  soundly,  should  they  be  detected  in 
any  of  their  usual  light-fingered  dexterity. 

Marble  and  myself  observed  that  the  canoe,  in  which  the 
messengers  left  us,  did  not  pull  out  to  sea,  but  that  it  entered 
i  small  stream,  or  creek,  that  communicated  with  the  head  of 
the  bay.  As  there  was  no  duty  on  board,  we  asked  the  cap 
tain's  permission  to  explore  this  spot ;  and,  at  the  same  time, 
to  make  a  more  thorough  examination  of  our  haven,  generally. 
The  request  being  granted,  we  got  into  the  yawl,  with  four  men, 
all  of  us  armed,  and  set  out  on  our  little  expedition.  Smudge, 
a  withered,  gray-headed  old  Indian,  with  muscles,  however,  that 
resembled  whip-cord,  was  alone  on  deck,  when  this  movement 
took  place.  lie  watched  our  proceedings  narrowly,  and,  when 
he  saw  us  descend  into  the  boat,  he  very  coolly  slipped  down 
the  ship's  side,  and  took  his  place  in  the  stern-sheets,  with  as 
much  quiet  dignity  as  if  he  had  been  captain.  Marble  was  a 
good  deal  of  a  ship's  martinet  in  such  matters,  and  he  did  not 
more  than  half  like  the  familiarity  and  impudence  of  the  pro 
cedure. 

"  What  say  you,  Miles,"  he  asked,  a  little  sharply,  "  shall  we 
take  this  dried  ourang-outang  ashore  with  us,  or  shall  we  try  to 
moisten  him  a  little,  by  throwing  him  overboard  ?" 

"  Let  him  go,  by  all  means,  Mr.  Marble.  I  dare  say  the  man 
wishes  to  be  of  use,  and  he  has  only  a  bad  manner  of  showing  it." 

"  Of  use !  He  is  worth  no  more  than  the  carcass  of  a  whale 
that  has  been  stripped  of  its  blubber.  I  say,  Miles,  there  would 
be  no  need  of  the  windlass  to  heave  the  blanket  off  of  this  fish !'' 

This  professional  witticism  put  Marble  in  good-humor  with 
himself,  and  he  permitted  the  fellow  to  remain.  I  remember 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  20b 

the  thoughts  that  passed  through  my  mind,  as  the  yawl  pulled 
toward  the  creek,  on  that  occasion,  as  well  as  if  it  had  all  oc 
curred  yesterday.  I  sat  looking  at  the  semi-human  being  Avho  was 
seated  opposite,  wondering  at  the  dispensation  of  divine  Provi 
dence  which  could  leave  one  endowed  with  a  portion  of  the  in 
effable  nature  of  the  Deity,  in  a  situation  so  degraded.  I  had 
seen  beasts  in  cages  that  appeared  to  me  to  be  quite  as  intelli 
gent,  and  members  of  the  diversified  family  of  human  carica 
tures,  or  of  the  baboons  and  monkeys,  that  I  thought  were  quite 
as  agreeable  objects  to  the  eye.  Smudge  seemed  to  be  almost 
without  ideas.  In  his  bargains,  he  had  trusted  entirely  to  the 
vigilance  of  the  Dipper,  whom  we  supposed  to  be  some  sort  of 
a  relation ;  and  the  articles  he  received  in  exchange  for  his  skins 
failed  to  arouse  in  his  grim,  vacant  countenance,  the  smallest 
signs  of  pleasure.  Emotion  and  he,  if  they  had  been  acquainted, 
now  appeared  to  be  utter  strangers  to  each  other ;  nor  was  this 
apathy  in  the  least  like  the  well-known  stoicism  of  the  American 
Indian,  but  had  the  air  of  downright  insensibility.  Yet  this 
man  assuredly  had  a  soul,  a  spark  of  the  never-dying  flame  that 
separates  man  from  all  the  other  beings  of  earth ! 

The  ba.sin  in  which  the  Crisis  lay  was  entirely  fringed  with 
forest.  The  trees  in  most  places  even  overhung  the  water,  form 
ing  an  impenetrable  screen  to  every  thing  inland,  at  the  season 
when  they  were  in  leaf.  Not  a  sign  of  a  habitation  of  any  sort  was 
visible ;  and,  as  we  approached  the  shore,  Marble  remarked  that 
the  savages  could  only  resort  to  the  place  at  the  moments  when 
they  had  induced  a  ship  to  enter,  in  order  to  trade  with  them. 

"  No,  no,"  added  the  mate,  turning  his  head  in  all  directions, 
in  order  to  take  a  complete  survey  of  the  bay ;  "  there  are  no 
wigwams  or  papooses  hereabouts.  This  is  only  a  trading-post ; 
and  luckily  for  us,  it  is  altogether  without  custom-house  officers." 

"  Not  without  smugglers,  I  fancy,  Mr.  Marble,  if  contriving  to 
get  other  people's  property  without  their  knowledge,  can  make 
a  smuggler.  I  never  saw  a  more  thorough-looking  thief  than 
the  cliap  we  have  nicknamed  the  Dipper.  I  believe  he  would 
swallow  one  of  our  iron  spoons,  rather  than  not  get  it!" 


206  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

"  Ay,  there 's  no  mistake  about  him,  '  Master  Mile,'  as  Neb 
calls  you.  But  this  fellow  here  hasn't  brains  enough  to  tell  his 
own  property  from  that  of  another  man.  I  would  let  him  into 
our  bread-lockers,  without  any  dread  of  his  knowing  enough  to 
oat.  I  never  saw  such  a  vacancy  in  a  human  form ;  a  down-east 
irliot  would  wind  him  up  in  a  trade  as  handily  as  a  peddler  sets 
his  wooden  clocks  in  motion." 

Such  was  Marble's  opinion  of  the  sagacity  of  Mr.  Smudge, 
and,  to  own  the  truth,  such,  in  a  great  measure,  was  my  own. 
The  men  laughed  at  the  remarks — seamen  are  a  little  apt  to 
laugh  at  chief  mates'  wit — and  their  looks  showed  how  thor 
oughly  they  coincided  with  us  in  opinion.  All  this  time  the 
boat  had  been  pushing  ahead,  and  it  soon  reached  the  mouth  of 
the  little  creek. 

We  found  the  inlet  deep,  but  narrow  and  winding.  Like  the 
bay  itself,  it  was  fringed  with  trees  and  bushes,  and  this  in  a 
way  to  render  it  difficult  to  get  a  view  of  any  thing  on  the  land, 
more  especially  as  the  banks  were  ten  or  fifteen  feet  in  height. 
Under  the  circumstances,  Marble  proposed  that  we  should  land 
on  both  sides  of  the  creek,  and  follow  its  windings  on  foot,  for 
a  short  distance,  in  order  to  get  a  better  opportunity  to  recon 
noitre.  Our  dispositions  were  soon  made.  Marble  and  one  of 
the  boat's  crew,  each  armed,  landed  on  one  side  of  the  inlet, 
while  Neb  and  myself,  similarly  provided,  went  ashore  on  the 
other.  The  two  remaining  men  were  ordered  to  keep  abreast 
of  us  in  the  boat,  in  readiness  to  take  us  on  board  again,  as  soon 
as  required. 

"  Leave  that  Mr.  Smudge  in  the  boat,  Miles,"  Marble  called 
out  across  the  creek,  as  I  was  about  to  put  foot  on  the  ground. 
I  made  a  sign  to  that  effect  to  the  savage,  but  when  I  reached 
the  level  ground  on  the  top  of  the  bank,  I  perceived  the  fellow 
was  at  my  elbow.  It  was  so  difficult  to  make  such  a  creature 
understand  one's  wishes  without  the  aid  of  speech,  that,  after 
a  fruitless  effort  or  two  to  send  him  back  by  means  of  signs,  I 
abandoned  the  attempt,  and  moved  forward  so  as  to  keep  the 
whole  party  in  the  desired  line.  Neb  offered  to  catch  the  old 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  207 

fellow  in  his  arms  and  to  carry  him  down  to  the  yawl ;  but  I 
thought  it  more  prudent  to  avoid  any  thing  like  violence.  We 
proceeded,  therefore,  accompanied  by  this  escort. 

There  was  nothing,  however,  to  excite  alarm  or  awaken  dis 
trust.  We  found  ourselves  in  a  virgin  forest,  with  all  its  wild- 
ness,  dampness,  gloomy  shadows,  dead  and  fallen  trees,  and  un 
equal  surface.  On  my  side  of  the  creek  there  was  not  tho 
smallest  sign  of  a  footpath,  and  Marble  soon  called  out  to  say 
he  was  equally  without  any  evidences  of  the  steps  of  man.  I 
should  think  we  proceeded  quite  a  mile  in  this  manner,  certain 
that  the  inlet  would  be  a  trife  guide  on  our  return.  At  length 
a  call  from  the  boat  let  us  know  there  was  no  longer  water 
enough  to  float  it,  and  that  it  could  proceed  no  farther.  Mar 
ble  and  myself  descended  the  banks  at  the  same  moment,  and 
were  taken  in,  intending  to  return  in  the  yawl.  Smudge  glided 
back  to  his  old  place  with  his  former  silence. 

"  I  told  you  to  leave  the  ourang-outang  behind,"  Marble  care 
lessly  observed,  as  he  took  his  own  seat,  after  assisting  in  getting 
the  boat  round  with  its  head  toward  the  bay.  "  I  would  rather 
have  a  rattlesnake  for  a  pet,  than  such  a  cub." 

"  It  is  easier  said  than  done,  sir.  Master  Smudge  stuck  to 
me  as  close  as  a  leech." 

"  The  fellow  seems  all  the  better  for  his  walk — I  never  saw 
him  look  half  as  amiable  as  he  does  at  this  moment." 

Of  course  this  raised  a  laugh,  and  it  induced  me  to  look  round. 
For  the  first  time  I  could  detect  something  like  a  human  ex 
pression  in  the  countenance  of  Smudge,  who  seemed  to  expe 
rience  some  sensation  a  little  akin  to  satisfaction. 

"  I  rather  think  he  had  taken  it  into  his  head  we  were  about 
to  desert  the  coppers,"  I  remarked,  "and  fancied  he  might  lose 
his  supper.  Now  he  must  sec  we  are  going  back,  he  probably 
fancies  he  will  go  to  bed  on  a  full  stomach." 

Marble  assented  to  the  probability  of  this  conjecture,  and  the 
conversation  changed.  It  was  matter  of  surprise  to  us  that  we 
had  met  no  traces  of  any  thing  like  a  residence  near  the  creek, 
not  the  smallest  sign  of  man  having  been  discovered  by  either. 


208  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

It  was  reasonable  to  expect  that  some  traces  of  an  encampment 
at  least,  would  have  been  found.  Everybody  kept  a  vigilant 
look-out  at  the  shore  as  we  descended  the  creek ;  but,  as  on  the 
ascent,  not  even  a  footprint  was  detected. 

On  reaching  the  bay,  there  being  still  several  hours  of  day 
light,  we  made  its  entire  circuit,  finding  nowhere  any  proof  of 
the  former  presence  of  man.  At  length  Marble  proposed  pull 
ing  to  the  small  wooded  island,  that  lay  a  little  without  the  en 
trance  of  the  haven,  suggesting  that  it  was  possible  the  savages 
might  have  something  like  an  encampment  there,  the  place  be 
ing  more  convenient  as  a  look-out  mto  the  offing  than  any  point 
within  the  bay  itself.  In  order  to  do  this  it  was  necessary  to 
pass  the  ship,  and  we  were  hailed  by  the  captain,  who  wished  to 
know  the  result  of  our  examinations.  As  soon  as  he  learned 
our  present  object,  he  told  us  to  come  alongside,  intending  to 
accompany  us  to  the  island  in  person.  On  getting  into  the 
boat,  which  was  small  and  a  little  crowded  by  the  presence  of 
Smudge,  Captain  Williams  made  a  sign  for  that  personage  to  quit 
the  yawl.  He  might  as  well  have  intimated  as  much  to  one  of 
the  thwarts !  Laughing  at  the  savage's  stupidity,  or  obstinacy, 
we  scarce  knew  which  to  term  it,  the  boat  was  shoved  off,  and  we 
pulled  through  the  entrance,  two  hundred  yards  outside  perhaps, 
until  our  keel  grated  against  the  low  rocks  of  this  islet. 

There  was  no  difficulty  in  landing ;  and  Neb,  who  preceded 
the  party,  soon  gave  a  shout,  the  proof  that  he  had  made  some 
discovery.  Every  man  among  us  now  looked  to  his  arms,  ex 
pecting  to  meet  an  encampment  of  savages ;  but  we  were  dis 
appointed.  All  that  the  negro  had  discovered  were  the  unequiv 
ocal  traces  of  a  former  bivouac ;  and,  judging  from  a  few  of  the 
signs,  that  of  no  very  recent  occupation.  The  traces  were  ex 
tensive,  covering  quite  half  of  the  interior  of  the  island ;  leaving 
an  extensive  curtain  of  trees  and  bushes,  however,  so  as  com 
pletely  to  conceal  the  spot  from  any  eyes  without.  Most  of  the 
trees  had  been  burnt  down,  as  we  at  first  thought,  in  order  to 
obtain  fuel;  but  farther  examination  satisfied  us  that  it  had 
been  done  as  much  by  accident  as  by  design. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  209 

At  first  nothing  was  discovered  in  this  encampment,  which 
had  every  appearance  of  not  having  been  extensively  used  for 
years,  though  the  traces  of  numerous  fires,  and  the  signs  of  foot 
steps,  and  a  spring  in  the  centre,  indicated  the  recent  occupa 
tion,  of  which  I  have  just  spoken.  A  little  further  scrutiny, 
however,  brought  to  light  certain  objects  that  we  did  not  note 
without  much  wonder  and  concern.  Marble  made  the  first  dis 
covery.  It  was  impossible  for  seamen  to  mistake  the  object, 
which  was  the  head  of  a  rudder,  containing  the  tiller-hole,  and 
which  might  have  belonged  to  a  vessel  of  some  two  hundred 
and  fifty  or  three  hundred  tons.  This  set  all  hands  of  us  at 
work,  and  in  a  few  minutes  we  found,  scattered  about,  fragments 
of  plank,  top-timbers,  floor-timbers,  and  other  portions  of  a  ship, 
all  more  or  less  burnt,  and  stripped  of  every  particle  of  metal. 
Even  the  nails  had  been  drawn  by  means  of  perseverance  and 
labor.  Nothing  was  left  but  the  wood,  which  proved  to  be 
live  oak,  cedar,  and  locust,  the  proofs  that  the  unfortunate  craft 
had  been  a  vessel  of  some  value.  We  wanted  no  assurance  of 
this,  however,  as  none  but  a  north-west  trader  could  well  have 
got  as  high  up  the  coast,  and  all  vessels  of  that  class  were  of  the 
best  description.  Then  the  locust,  a  wood  unknown  to  the 
ship-builders  of  Europe,  gave  us  the  nearly  certain  assurance 
that  this  doomed  craft  had  been  a  countryman. 

At  first,  we  were  all  too  much  occupied  with  our  interesting 
discovery  to  bethink  us  of  Smudge.  At  length,  I  turned  to 
observe  its  effect  on  the  savage.  He  evidently  noted  our  pro 
ceedings  ;  but  his  feelings,  if  the  creature  had  any,  were  so 
deeply  buried  beneath  the  mask  of  dullness,  as  completely  to 
foil  my  penetration.  He  saw  us  take  up  fragment  after  fragment, 
examine  them,  heard  us  converse  over  them,  though  in  a  lan 
guage  he  could  not  understand,  and  saw  us  throw  them  away, 
one  after  another,  with  seemingly  equal  indifference.  At  length 
he  brought  a  half-burned  billet  to  the  captain,  and  held  it  before 
his  eyes,  as  if  he  began  to  feel  some  interest  in  our  proceedings. 
It  proved  to  be  merely  a  bit  of  ordinary  wood,  a  fragment  of 
one  of  the  beeches  of  the  forest  that  lay  near  an  extinguished 


210  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

pile ;  and  the  act  satisfied  us  all,  the  fellow  did  not  comprehend 
the  reason  of  the  interest  we  betrayed.  He  clearly  knew  nothing 
of  the  strange  vessel. 

In  walking  around  this  deserted  encampment,  the  traces  of  a 
pathway  to  the  shore  were  found.  They  were  too  obvious  to 
be  mistaken,  and  led  us  to  the  water  in  the  passage  opposite  to 
that  by  which  the  Crisis  had  been  carried  in  by  the  Dipper,  and 
at  a  point  that  was  not  in  view  from  her  present  anchorage. 
Here  we  found  a  sort  of  landing,  and  many  of  the  heavier  pieces 
of  the  wreck ;  such  as  it  had  not  been  thought  necessary  to 
haul  up  to  the  fires,  having  no  metal  about  them.  Among  other 
things  of  this  sort,  was  a  portion  of  the  keel  quite  thirty  feet 
long,  the  keelson  bolts,  keelson,  and  floor-timbers  -all  attached. 
This  was  the  only  instance  in  which  we  discovered  any  metal ; 
and  this  we  found,  only  because  the  fragment  was  too  strong 
and  heavy  to  be  manageable.  We  looked  carefully,  in  all  direc 
tions,  in  the  hope  of  discovering  something  that  might  give  us 
an  insight  into  the  nature  of  the  disaster  that  had  evidently  oc 
curred,  but,  for  some  time,  without  success.  At  length  I  stroll 
ed  to  a  little  distance  from  the  landing,  and  took  a  seat  on  a  flat 
stone,  which  had  been  placed  on  the  living  rock  that  faced  most 
of  the  island,  evidently  to  form  a  resting-place.  My  scat  proved 
unsteady,  and  in  endeavoring  to  adjust  it  more  to  my  mind,  I 
removed  the  stone,  and  discovered  that  it  rested  on  a  common 
log-slate.  This  slate  was  still  covered  with  legible  writing,  and  1 
soon  had  the  whole  party  around  me,  eager  to  learn  the  contents. 
The  melancholy  record  was  in  these  precise  words,  viz.: — 

"  The  American  brig  Sea  Otter,  John  Squires,  master,  coaxed 
into  this  bay,  June  9th,  1797,  and  seized  by  savages  on  the 
morning  of  the  llth.  Master,  second  mate,  and  seven  of  the 
people  killed  on  the  spot.  Brig  gutted  first,  then  hauled  up 
here,  and  burnt  to  the  water's  edge  for  the  iron.  David  King, 
first  mate,  and  six  others,  viz.,  George  Lunt,  Henry  Webster, 
Stephen  Stimpson,  and  John  Harris,  seamen,  Bill  Flint,  cook, 
and  Peter  Doolittle,  boy,  still  living,  but  God  only  knows 
what  is  to  be  our  fate.  I  shall  put  this  slate  beneath  the  stone 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHOEE.  211 

I  now  sit  on,  in  the  hope  it  may  one  day  let  our  friends  learn 
what  has  happened." 

We  looked  at  each  other,  astounded.  Both  the  captain  and 
Marble  remembered  to  have  heard  that  a  brig  in  this  trade, 
called  the  Sea  Otter,  was  missing ;  and  here,  by  a  communica 
tion  that  wa$  little  short  of  miraculous,  we  were  let  into  the 
secret  of  her  disappearance. 

"  Coaxed  in,"  repeated  the  captain,  running  his  eye  over  the 
writing,  which  had  been  thus  singularly  preserved,  and  that,  in 
a  situation  where  one  would  think  it  might  have  been  discov 
ered  a  thousand  times.  "  Yes,  yes — I  now  begin  to  understand 
the  whole  matter.  If  there  were  any  wind,  gentlemen,  I  would 
go  to  sea  this  very  night" 

"  That  would  be  hardly  worth  our  while,  Captain  Williams," 
the  chief  mate  answered,  "  since  we  are  now  on  our  guard,  and 
I  feel  pretty  certain  that  there  are  no  savages  in  our  neighbor 
hood.  So  far,  the  Dipper  and  his  friends  have  traded  with  us 
fairly  enough,  and  it  is  likely  they  have  more  skins  to  dispose 
of.  This  chap,  whom  the  people  have  christened  Smudge, 
takes  matters  so  coolly,  that  I  hardly  think  he  knows  any  thing 
about  the  Sea  Otter,  which  may  have  been  cut  off  by  another 
gang,  altogether." 

.  There  was  good  reason  in  these  remarks,  and  they  had  their 
effect  on  the  captain.  The  latter,  however,  determined  to  put 
Smudge  to  the  proof,  by  showing  him  the  slate,  and  otherwise 
bringing  him  under  such  a  cross-examination  as  signs  alone 
could  effect.  I  dare  say,  an  indifferent  spectator  would  have 
laughed  at  witnessing  our  efforts  to  confound  the  Indian.  We 
made  grimaces,  pointed,  exclaimed,  hallooed,  swore,  and  gestic 
ulated  in  vain.  Smudge  was  as  unmoved  at  it  all,  as  the  frag 
ment  of  keel  to  which  he  was  confronted.  The  fellow  either 
did  not,  or  would  not  understand  us.  His  stupidity  defied  our 
tests ;  and  Marble  gave  the  matter  up  in  despair,  declaring  that 
"  the  beast  knows  nothing  of  any  thing,  much  less  of  the  Sea 
Otter."  As  for  the  slate,  he  did  not  seem  to  have  the  smallest 
notion  what  such  a  thins:  meant. 


212  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

We  returned  to  the  ship,  carrying  with  us  the  slate,  and  the 
report  of  our  discoveries.  All  hands  were  called,  and  the  cap 
tain  made  us  a  speech.  It  was  sufficiently  to  the  point,  though 
it  was  not  in  the  least  of  the  "  God-like"  character.  We  were 
told  how  ships  were  lost  by  the  carelessness  of  their  crews ;  re 
minded  we  were  on  the  north-west  coast,  where  a  vessel  with  a 
few  boxes  of  beads  and  bales  of  blankets,  to  say  nothing  of  her 
gunpowder,  fire-arms,  and  metals,  was  as  valuable,  as  a  vessel 
laden  with  gold  dust  would  be  in  one  of  our  own  ports.  Vigil 
ance,  while  on  watch,  and  obedience  to  the  orders  of  the  vessel, 
in  the  event  of  an  alarm,  were  the  principal  things  dwelt  on. 
By  observing  these  two  great  requisites,  we  should  all  be  safe 
enough;  whereas,  by  disregarding  them,  we  should  probably 
share  the  fate  of  the  people  of  the  brig,  of  which  we  had  just 
discovered  some  of  the  remains. 

I  will  confess,  I  passed  an  uncomfortable  night.  An  unknown 
enemy  is  always  a  formidable  enemy  ;  and  I  would  rather  have 
fought  three  guarda-costas  at  once,  than  lie  where  we  did,  in  a 
bay  as  smooth  as  a  looking-glass,  surrounded  by  forests  as  silent 
as  a  desert,  and  in  a  well-armed  ship,  that  was  prepared  at  all 
points  to  meet  her  foes,  even  to  her  boarding-nettings. 

Nothing  came  of  it  all.  The  Dipper  and  Smudge  eat  their 
supper  with  the  appetites  of  injured  innocence,  and  slept  like 
tops.  If  guilty,  we  all  agreed  that  they  must  be  utterly  desti 
tute  of  consciences.  As  for  ourselves,  we  were  on  the  alert 
until  near  morning,  the  very  moment  when  the  danger  would 
probably  be  the  greatest,  provided  there  were  any  at  all ;  and 
then  weariness  overcame  all  who  were  not  on  the  look-out,  and 
some  who  were.  Still,  nothing  happened.  The  sun  returned 
to  us  in  due  season,  gilding  the  tree-tops  with  its  beams ;  our 
little  bay  began  to  bask  in  its  glory,  and  with  the  cheerfulness 
that  usually  accompanies  such  a  scene,  vanished  most  of  our  ap 
prehensions  for  the  moment.  A  night  of  reflection  had  quieted 
our  fears,  and  we  all  woke  up  next  morning,  as  indifferent  to  the 
fate  of  the  Sea  Otter  as  was  at  all  decent. 


AFLOAT     AND     ASHORE.  213 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

"The  monarch  mind— the  mystery  of  commanding, 
The  godlike  power — the  art  Napoleon, 
Of  winning,  fettering,  moulding,  wielding,  banding 
The  hearts  of  millions,  till  they  move  as  one ; 
Thou  hast  it." 

HALLKCK — RED  JACKET. 

SMUDGE  and  the  Dipper  behaved  admirably  all  next  day 
Beef,  pork,  and  bread — those  great  desiderata  of  life,  which  the 
European  is  apt  to  say  form  the  primum  mobile  of  American  ex 
istence — seemed  to  engross  their  thoughts ;  and  when  they  were 
not  eating,  they  were  busy  with  sleep.  At  length  we  grew 
ashamed  of  watching  such  mere  animals,  and  turned  our  thoughts 
to  other  subjects.  We  had  understood  the  Dipper  that  eight- 
and-forty  hours  must  elapse  before  we  might  expect  to  see  any 
more  skins;  and  Captain  Williams,  passing  from  alarm  to  ex 
treme  security,  determined  to  profit  by  a  lovely  day,  and  send 
down,  or  rather  strip,  all  three  of  the  topmasts,  and  pay  some 
necessary  attention  to  their  rigging.  At  nine  o'clock,  accord 
ingly,  the  hands  were  tumed-to,  and  before  noon  the  ship  was 
pretty  thoroughly  en  deshabille.  We  sent  as  little  down  as  pos 
sible,  keeping  even  the  topsail-yards  aloft,  though  without  their 
lifts  or  braces,  steadying  them  by  guys  ;  but  the  topmasts  were 
lowered  as  far  as  was  found  possible,  without  absolutely  placing 
the  lower  yards  on  the  hammock-cloths.  In  a  word,  we  put  the 
ship  in  the  most  unmanageable  position,  without  absolutely  lit 
tering  our  decks.  The  security  of  the  haven,  and  the  extreme 
beauty  of  the  weather,  emboldened  the  captain  to  do  this;  appre 
hension  of  every  sort  appearing  to  have  quite  taken  leave  of  him. 

The  work  proceeded  merrily.     We  had  not  only  a  strong 


214  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

ore\T,  but  we  had  a  good  crew;  and  our  Philadelphians  were  in 
their  element  the  moment  there  was  a  question  of  the  rigging. 
By  sunset,  the  chafes  were  examined,  and  parcelled,  and  served 
anew ;  and  the  topmast  rigging  was  all  got  up  and  put  over 
the  mast-heads  again,  and  every  thing  was  ready  to  sway  upon 
in  the  morning.  But  an  uncommonly  active  day  required  a 
good  night's  rest ;  and  the  people  were  all  ordered  to  turn  in, 
as  soon  as  they  had  supped.  The  ship  was  to  be  left  to  the 
vigilance  of  the  captain  and  the  three  mates  during  the  night. 

Hie  anchor-watch  was  set  at  eight,  and  ran  from  two  hours  to 
two  hours.  My  turn  commenced  at  midnight,  and  was  to  last 
until  two ;  Marble  succeeding  me  from  two  until  four,  when  all 
hands  were  to  be  called  to  get  our  sticks  aloft.  When  I  turned 
out  at  twelve,  I  found  the  third  mate  conversing,  as  well  as  he 
could,  with  the  Dipper ;  who,  with  Smudge,  having  slept  so 
much  of  the  day,  appeared  disposed  to  pass  the  night  in  smoking. 

"  How  long  have  these  fellows  been  on  deck  ?"  I  asked  of  the 
third  mate,  as  he  was  about  to  go  below. 

"  All  my  watch ;  I  found  them  with  the  captain,  who  passed 
them  over  to  me  for  company.  If  that  chap,  the  Dipper,  only 
knew  any  thing  of  a  human  language,  he  would  be  something 
of  society ;  but  I'm  as  tired  of  making  signs  to  him,  as  I  ever 
was  with  a  hard  day's  work." 

I  was  armed,  and  felt  ashamed  of  manifesting  fear  of  an  un 
armed  man.  Then  the  two  savages  gave  no  additional  cause  of 
distrust ;  the  Dipper  having  taken  a  seat  on  the  windlass,  where 
he  was  smoking  his  pipe  with  an  appearance  of  philosophy  that 
would  have  done  credit  to  the  gravest-looking  baboon.  As  for 
Smudge,  he  did  not  appear  to  be  sufficiently  intellectual  to 
smoke — an  occupation  that  has  at  least  the  merit  of  affecting 
the  air  of  wisdom  and  reflection.  I  never  could  discover  whether 
your  great  smokers  were  actually  wiser  than  the  rest  of  the  race, 
or  not ;  but,  it  will  be  admitted,  they  occasionally  seem  to  be 
so.  It  was  a  pity  Smudge  did  not  have  recourse  to  the  prac 
tice,  as  it  might  have  given  the  fellow  an  appearance  of  some 
times  cogitating.  As  it  was,  while  his  companion  was  enjoying 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  215 

his  pipe  at  the  windlass,  he  kept  strolling  about  the  deck,  much 
as  a  pig  would  have  wandered  in  the  same  place,  and  seemingly 
with  the  same  object. 

I  took  charge  of  the  decks  with  a  very  lively  sense  of  the  pe 
culiarity  of  our  situation.  The  security  that  prevailed  on  board 
struck  me  as  unnatural ;  and  yet  I  could  detect  no  particular  rea 
son  for  immediate  alarm.  I  might  be  thrown  overboard  or  mur 
dered  by  the  two  savages  on  deck,  it  was  very  true  ;  but  of  what 
use  would  it  be  to  destroy  me,  since  they  could  not  hope  to  de 
stroy  all  the  rest  on  board  without  being  discovered.  The  night 
was  star-lit,  and  there  was  little  chance  of  a  canoe's  approaching 
the  ship  without  my  seeing  it ;  a  circumstance  that,  of  itself,  in 
a  great  measure,  removed  the  danger.  1  passed  the  first  quarter 
of  an  hour  in  reflecting  on  these  things ;  and  then,  as  use  accus 
tomed  me  to  my  situation,  I  began  to  think  less  of  them  and  to 
revert  to  other  subjects. 

Clawbonny,  Grace,  Lucy,  and  Mr.  Hardinge,  often  rose  before 
my  mind's  eye,  in  those  distant  seas.  It  was  seldom  I  passed  a 
tranquil  watch  at  night  without  revisiting  the  scenes  of  my  boy 
hood,  and  wandering  through  my  own  fields,  accompanied  by 
my  beloved  sister  and  her  quite  as  well  beloved  friend.  How 
many  hours  of  happiness  had  I  thus  passed  on  the  trackless 
wastes  of  the  Pacific  and  the  Atlantic,  and  with  how  much 
fidelity  did  memory  recall  the  peculiar  graces,  whether  of  body 
or  mind,  of  each  of  the  dear  girls  in  particular.  Since  my  re 
cent  experience  in  London,  Emily  Merton  would  occasionally 
adorn  the  picture,  with  her  more  cultivated  discourse  and  more 
finished  manner ;  and  yet  I  do  not  remember  to  have  ever  given 
her  more  than  a  third  place  on  the  scale  of  my  admiration. 

On  the  present  occasion  I  was  soon  lost  in  ruminations  on  the 
past,  and  in  imagining  events  for  the  future.  I  was  not  particu 
larly  expert  at  building  castles  in  the  air ;  but  what  youth  of 
twenty,  or  maiden  of  sixteen,  never  reared  some  sort  of  a  fabric 
of  this  nature  ?  These  fanciful  structures  are  the  results  of  in 
experience  building  with  the  materials  of  hope.  In  my  most 
imaginative  moments,  I  could  even  fancy  Rupert  an  industrious, 


216  AFLOAT     AND      ASHOBE. 

staid  lawyer,  adorning  his  profession,  and  rendering  both  Lucy 
and  Grace  happy.  Beyond  this  it  was  not  easy  for  the  human 
faculties  to  conceive. 

Lucy  sang  sweetly.  At  times  her  songs  fairly  haunted  me, 
and  for  hours  I  could  think  of  nothing  but  their  tender  senti 
ment  and  their  touching  melody.  I  was  no  nightingale  myself, 
though  I  sometimes  endeavored  to  hum  some  one  of  the  airs 
that  floated  in  my  recollection,  like  beautiful  visions  of  the  past. 
This  night,  in  particular,  my  thoughts  recurred  to  one  of  these 
songs  that  told  of  affection  and  home ;  and  I  stood  for  several 
minutes,  leaning  over  the  railing  forward,  humming  the  tune  to 
myself,  while  I  endeavored  to  recall  not  only  the  words  but  the 
sweet  voice  that  was  wont  to  give  them  so  much  thrilling  pathos. 
I  did  this  sometimes  at  Clawbonny ;  and  time  and  again  had 
Lucy  placed  her  soft  little  hand  on  my  mouth,  as  she  would 
laughingly  say,  "  Miles,  Miles,  do  not  spoil  so  pretty  a  song ! 
You  will  never  succeed  with  music,  so  work  the  harder  with 
your  Latin."  Sometimes  she  would  steal  behind  me — I  fancied 
I  could  hear  her  breathing  at  my  shoulder,  even  as  I  leaned  over 
the  rail — and  would  apply  her  hand  slyly  to  my  lips,  in  her 
many  attempts  of  this  nature.  So  vivid  did  one  of  these  scenes 
become,  that  I  thought  I  really  felt  the  soft  smooth  hand  on  my 
mouth,  and  I  was  actually  about  to  kiss  it,  when  something  that 
was  smooth  enough,  certainly,  but  which  was  very  far  from  be 
ing  soft,  passed  between  my  teeth,  and  I  felt  it  drawn  so  tight 
as  completely  to  prevent  my  calling  out.  At  the  same  moment 
my  arms  were  seized  from  behind,  and  held  as  if  grasped  by  a 
vice.  Turning,  as  well  as  I  was  able,  I  found  that  rascal  Smudge 
had  been  breathing  within  an  inch  of  my  ear,  while  he  passed 
the  gag ;  and  the  Dipper  was  busy  in  lashing  my  arms  together 
behind  my  back.  The  whole  had  been  done  so  suddenly,  and 
yet  with  so  much  skill,  that  I  was  a  helpless  prisoner  as  it  might 
be,  in  a  single  instant ! 

Resistance  being  as  much  out  of  my  power  as  it  was  to  give  any 
alarm,  I  was  soon  secured,  hands  and  feet,  aud  placed  carefully 
in  the  waist,  a  little  out  of  the  way ;  for  I  probably  owed  my 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  217 

life  solely  to  the  wish  of  Smudge  to  keep  me  as  his  slave.  From 
that  instant  every  appearance  of  stupidity  vanished  from  this 
fellow's  countenance  and  manner,  and  he  became  the  moving 
spirit,  and  I  might  say  the  soul,  of  all  the  proceedings  of  his 
companions.  As  for  myself,  there  I  sat  lashed  to  a  spar,  utterly 
unable  to  help  myself,  an  unwilling  witness  of  all  that  followed. 
I  felt  the  imminent  danger  of  our  situation,  but  I  think  I  felt 
the  disgrace  of  having  such  a  surprise  occur  in  my  watch,  more 
even  than  the  personal  risks  I  ran ! 

In  the  first  place,  I  was  disarmed.  Then  the  Dipper  took  a 
lantern  which  stood  on  the  binnacle,  lighted  it,  and  showed  it, 
for  half  a  minute,  above  the  taffrail.  His  signal  must  have  been 
instantly  answered,  for  he  soon  extinguished  the  light,  and 
moved  about  the  deck,  in  attentive  watchfulness  to  seize  any 
straggler,  who  might  happen  to  come  on  deck.  Little  fear  of 
that,  however,  weariness  chaining  the  men  to  their  berths  as 
closely  as  if  they  had  been  bolted  down  with  iron.  I  now 
expected  to  see  the  fellows  fill  the  yawl  with  effects,  and  run 
away  with  them,  for,  as  yet,  I  could  not  believe  that  two  men 
would  have  the  hardihood  to  attack  such  a  ship's  company 
as  ours. 

I  reckoned  without  my  host.  It  might  have  been  ten  minutes 
after  I  was  seized,  that  dark-looking  figures  began  to  climb  the 
ship's  sides,  until  more  than  thirty  of  them  Avere  on  her  decks. 
This  was  done  so  noiselessly,  too,  that  the  most  vigilant  atten 
tion  on  my  part  gave  no  notice  of  their  approach,  until  they 
stood  among  us.  All  these  men  were  armed ;  a  few  with  mus 
kets,  others  with  clubs,  and  some  with  bows  and  arrows.  So 
far  as  I  could  discover,  each  had  some  sort  of  a  knife,  and  a  few 
had  hatchets,  or  tomahawks.  To  my  great  regret,  I  saw  that 
three  or  four  were  immediately  stationed  at  the  companion-way, 
aft,  and  as  many  more  at  the  booby-hatch,  forward.  This  was 
effectually  commanding  the  only  two  passages  by  which  the 
officers  and  men  would  be  likely  to  ascend,  in  the  event  of  their 
attempting  to  come  on  deck.  It  is  true,  the  main-hatch,  as 
well  as  that  of  the  steerage,  was  used  by  day,  but  both  had 
10 


218  AFLOAT      AND       ASHORE. 

been  covered  over  night,  and  no  one  would  think  of  using  either 
unless  aware  of  the  danger  that  existed  on  deck. 

I  suffered  a  good  deal  both  from  the  gag  and  the  ropes  that 
bound  my  limbs,  and  yet  I  hardly  thought  of  the  pain,  so 
intense  was  my  curiosity  as  to  what  was  to  follow.  After  the 
savages  were  all  on  board,  the  first  quarter  of  an  hour  passed  in 
making  their  dispositions.  Smudge — the  stupid,  inanimate, 
senseless  Smudge — acting  as  leader,  and  manifesting  not  only 
authority,  but  readiness  and  sagacity.  He  placed  all  his  people 
iu  ambush,  so  that  one  appearing  from  below,  would  not  at  once 
be  apprised  of  the  change  that  had  taken  place  on  deck,  and 
thus  give  the  savages  time  to  act.  After  this,  another  quarter 
of  an  hour  passed,  during  which  the  fall  of  a  pin  might  almost 
have  been  heard,  so  profound  was  the  silence.  I  shut  my  eyes 
in  this  territic  interval,  and  endeavored  to  pray. 

"  On  deck,  here — forward,  there  !"  said  a  voice,  suddenly,  that, 
at  once,  I  knew  to  be  the  captain's.  I  would  have  given  the 
world  to  be  able  to  answer,  in  order  to  warn  him  of  the  danger, 
but  this  was  impossible.  I  did  groan,  and  I  believe  the  captain 
heard  me ;  for  he  moved  away  from  the  cabin  door,  and  called 
out,  "  Mr.  Walliogford — where  have  you  got  to,  Mr.  Walling- 
ford  ?"  He  was  without  his  hat,  having  come  on  deck  half  clad, 
simply  to  ascertain  how  went  the  night,  and  it  makes  me  shud 
der,  even  now,  to  write  about  the  blow  that  fell  on  his  unpro 
tected  skull.  It  would  have  felled  an  ox,  and  it  crushed  him  on 
the  spot.  The  caution  of  his  murderers  prevented  his  falling, 
however,  for  they  did  not  wish  to  alarm  the  sleepers  be 
low  ;  though  the  plash  on  the  water  that  followed  could  not  fail 
to  reach  ears  which  took  in  every  sound  with  the  avidity  of 
mine.  Thus  perished  Captain  Williams,  a  mild,  well-meaning 
man,  an  excellent  seaman,  and  one  whose  principal  fault  was 
want  of  caution.  I  do  not  think  the  water  was  necessary  to 
complete  his  fate,  as  nothing  human  could  have  survived  such 
a  blow. 

Smudge  had  been  the  principal  actor  in  this  frightful  scene ; 
and  as  soon  as  it  was  over,  he  caused  his  men  to  return  to  their 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  2J9 

ambushes.  I  now  thought  the  officers  and  men  were  to  be  mur 
dered  in  this  manner,  as  one  by  one  they  appeared  on  deck.  It 
would  soon  be  time  for  Marble  to  turn  out,  though  there  was 
the  hope  he  might  not  unless  called,  and  I  could  not  do  this 
office,  situated  as  I  was.  But  I  was  mistaken.  Instead  of  en 
ticing  any  men  on  deck,  the  savages  pursued  a  different  course. 
Having  destroyed  the  captain,  they  closed  the  doors  of  the 
companion-way,  drew  over  the  booby-hatch,  and  adopted  the 
safe  expedient  of  making  all  below  prisoners.  This  was  not  done 
altogether  without  noise,  and  the  alarm  was  evidently  given  by 
the  means  taken  to  secure  the  fastenings.  I  heard  a  rush  at  the 
cabin  doors,  which  was  soon  followed  by  one  at  the  booby-hatch  ; 
but  Smudge's  ingenuity  had  been  sufficient  to  prevent  either  from 
being  successful. 

As  soon  as  certain  that  their  prisoners  were  safe,  the  savages 
came  and  loosened  the  ropes  of  my  arm  sufficiently  to  put  me 
more  at  my  ease.  They  removed  those  which  bound  my  feet 
entirely,  and,  at  the.  same  instant,  the  gag  was  taken  from  my 
mouth.  I  was  then  led  to  the  companion-way,  and,  by  a  sign, 
given  to  understand  I  might  communicate  with  my  friends  be 
low.  In  the  management  of  all  this,  I  found  that  Smudge,  the 
semi-human,  dull,  animal-seeming  Smudge,  was  at  the  head.  I 
also  came  to  the  conclusion  my  life  was  to  be  spared,  for  a  time 
at  least,  and  for  some  purpose  that,  as  yet,  baffled  my  conjec 
tures.  I  did  not  call  out  immediately,  but  waited  until  I  heard 
a  movement  on  the  ladder,  when  I  complied  with  the  orders  of. 
my  captors  and  masters. 

"  Mr.  Marble,"  I  cried,  loud  enough  to  be  heard  below,  "  is 
that  you  ?" 

"  Ay,  ay — and  is  that  you,  Master  Miles  ?" 

"  This  is  I.  Be  cautious  how  you  act,  Mr.  Marble.  The  sav 
ages  are  in  possession  of  the  upper  deck,  and  I  am  their  prisoner. 
The  people  are  all  below,  with  a  strong  watch  at  the  fore-scuttle." 

I  heard  a  long,  low  whistle  within  the  companion-way  doors, 
which  it  was  easy  enough  to  interpret  into  an  expression  of  the 
chief  mate's  concern  and  wonder.  For  myself,  I  saw  no  use  in 


2'20  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

attempting  concealment,  but  was  resolved  to  speak  out  fully, 
even  though  it  might  be  at  the  risk  of  betraying  some  of  my 
feelings  to  my  captors,  among  whom  I  thought  it  probable  there 
might  be  more  than  one  who  understood  something  of  English. 

"  We  miss  Captain  Williams  below,  here,"  Marble  resumed, 
after  a  short  delay.  "  Do  you  know  any  thing  of  his  move 
ments  ?" 

"  Alas !  Mr.  Marble — poor  Captain  Williams  can  be  of  no 
service  to  any  of  us,  now." 

"  What  of  him  ?"  was  demanded  in  a  clear,  full  voice,  and  as 
quick  as  lightning.  "  Let  me  know  at  once." 

"  He  has  been  killed  by  a  blow  from  a  club,  and  is  thrown 
overboard." 

A  dead  silence  followed,  and  it  lasted  near  a  minute. 

"  Then  it  has  fallen  to  my  duty  to  decide  what  is  to  be  done  !" 
Marble  at  length  exclaimed.  "  Miles,  are  you  at  liberty  ?  Dare 
you  say  what  you  think  ?" 

"  I  am  held  here  by  two  of  the  savages,  whose  prisoner  I  cer 
tainly  am.  Still,  Mr.  Marble,  they  encourage  me  to  speak  ;  but 
I  fear  some  among  them  understand  what  we  say." 

There  was  another  pause,  during  which  the  mate  was  doubt 
less  reflecting  on  the  best  course  to  pursue. 

"  Harkee,  Miles,"  Marble  continued  "  we  know  each  other, 
and  can  tell  what  is  meant  without  blabbing.  How  old  are  you, 
out  there,  on  deck  ?" 

"  Quite  thirty  years,  Mr.  Marble — and  good  stout  years  they 
are,  too !" 

"  Well  provided  for,  with  sulphur  and  the  pills,  or  only  with 
Indian  tools,  such  as  our  boys  sometimes  play  with  ?" 

"  A  little  of  the  first — half  a  dozen,  perhaps ;  with  some  of 
the  last,  and  a  plenty  of  carvers." 

An  impatient  push  from  the  Dipper  warned  me  to  speak 
plainer,  and  satisfied  me  that  the  fellow  could  comprehend  what 
passed,  so  long  as  we  confined  ourselves  to  a  straightforward 
discourse.  This  discovery  had  the  effect  to  put  me  still  more 
on  my  guard. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  221 

"  I  understand  you,  Miles,"  Marble  answered,  in  a  thoughtful 
manner ;  "  we  must  be  on  our  guard.  Do  you  think  they  mean 
to  come  below  ?" 

"  I  see  no  signs  at  present ;  but  understanding" — emphasizing 
the  word — "  is  more  general  than  you  imagine,  and  no  secrets 
must  be  told.  My  advice  is,  '  Millions  for  defence,  and  not  a 
cent  for  tribute.'  " 

As  this  last  expression  was  common  in  the  mouths  of  the 
Americans  of  the  day,  having  been  used  on  the  occasion  of  the 
existing  war  with  France.  I  felt  confident  it  would  be  under 
stood.  Marble  made  no  answer,  and  I  was  permitted  to  move 
from  the  companion-way,  and  to  take  a  seat  on  the  hen-coops. 
My  situation  was  sufficiently  remarkable.  It  was  still  dark  ;  but 
enough  light  fell  from  the  stars  to  permit  me  to  see  all  the 
swarthy  and  savage  forms  that  were  gliding  about  the  decks, 
and  even  to  observe  something  of  the  expression  of  the  counte 
nances  of  those  who,  from  time  to  time,  came  near  to  stare  me 
in  the  face.  The  last  seemed  ferociously  disposed ;  but  it  was 
evident  that  a  master-spirit  held  all  these  wild  beings  in  strict 
subjection ;  quelling  the  turbulence  of  their  humors,  restraining 
their  fierce  disposition  to  violence,  and  giving  concert  and  de 
sign  to  all  their  proceedings.  This  master-spirit  was  Smudge  ! 
Of  the  fact.  I  could  not  doubt ;  his  gestures,  his  voice,  his  com 
mands,  giving  movement  and  method  to  every  thing  that  was 
done.  I  observed  that  he  spoke  with  authority  and  confidence, 
though  he  spoke  calmly.  He  was  obeyed  without  any  particu 
lar  marks  of  deference,  but  he  was  obeyed  implicitly.  I  could 
also  see  that  the  savages  considered  themselves  as  conquerors ; 
caring  very  little  for  the  men  under  hatches. 

Nothing  material  occurred  until  day  dawned.  Smudge — for 
so  I  must  continue  to  call  this  revolting-looking  chief,  for  want 
of  his  true  name — would  permit  nothing  to  be  attempted  until 
the  light  became  sufficiently  strong  to  enable  him  to  note  tno 
proceedings  of  his  followers.  I  subsequently  ascertained,  too, 
that  he  waited  for  reinforcements,  a  yell  being  raised  in  the 
ship,  just  as  the  sun  appeared,  which  wa^  answered  from  the 


222  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

forest.  The  last  seemed  fairly  alive  with  savages ;  nor  was  it 
long  before  canoes  issued  from  the  creek,  and  I  counted  one 
hundred  and  seven  of  these  wretches  on  board  the  ship.  This 
was  their  whole  force,  however,  no  more  ever  appearing. 

All  this  time,  or  for  three  hours,  I  had  no  more  communica 
tion  with  our  own  people.  I  was  certain,  however,  that  they 
were  all  together,  a  junction  being  easy  enough,  by  means  of 
the  middle  deck,  which  had  no  other  cargo  than  the  light  arti 
cles  intended  for  the  north-west  trade,  and  by  knocking  down 
the  forecastle  bulkhead.  There  was  a  sliding  board  in  the 
last,  indeed,  that  would  admit  of  one  man's  passing  at  a  time, 
without  having  recourse  to  this  last  expedient.  I  entertained 
no  doubt  Marble  had  collected  all  hands  below ;  and,  being  in 
possession  of  plenty  of  arms,  the  men  having  carried  their 
muskets  and  pistols  below  with  them,  with  all  the  ammunition, 
he  was  still  extremely  formidable.  What  course  he  would  pur 
sue,  I  was  obliged  to  conjecture.  A  sortie  would  have  been 
very  hazardous,  if  practicable  at  all ;  and  it  was  scarcely  prac 
ticable,  after  the  means  taken  by  Smudge  and  the  Dipper  to 
secure  the  passages.  Every  thing,  so  far  as  I  was  concerned,  was 
left  to  conjecture. 

The  manner  in  which  my  captors  treated  me,  excited  my 
surprise.  As  soon  as  it  was  light,  my  limbs  were  released,  and 
I  was  permitted  to  walk  up  and  down  the  quarter-deck  to 
restore  the  circulation  of  the  blood.  A  clot  of  blood,  with 
some  fragments  of  hair,  marked  the  spot  where  poor  Captain 
Williams  had  fallen ;  and  I  was  allowed  to  dash  a  bucket  of 
Avater  over  the  place,  in  order  to  wash  away  the  revolting  signs 
of  the  murder.  For  myself,  a  strange  recklessness  had  taken 
the  place  of  concern,  and  I  became  momentarily  indifferent  to 
my  fate.  I  expected  to  die,  and  I  am  now  ashamed  to  confess 
that  my  feelings  took  a  direction  toward  revenge,  rather  than 
toward  penitence  for  my  past  sins.  At  times,  I  even  envied 
Marble,  and  those  below,  who  might  destroy  their  enemies  at  a 
swoop,  by  throwing  a  match  into  the  magazine.  I  felt  per 
suaded,  indeed,  it  would  come  to  that  before  the  mate  and  men 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  223 

would  submit  to  be  the  captives  of  such  wretches  as  were  then 
in  possession  of  the  deck.  Smudge  and  his  associates,  how 
ever,  appeared  to  be  perfectly  indifferent  to  this  danger,  of  the 
character  of  which  they  were  probably  ignorant.  Their  scheme 
had  been  very  cunningly  laid ;  and,  thus  far,  it  was  perfectly 
successful. 

The  sun  was  fairly  up,  and  the  savages  began  to  think  seri 
ously  of  securing  their  prize,  when  the  two  leaders,  Smudge 
and  the  Dipper,  approached  me  in  a  manner  to  show  they  were 
on  the  point  of  commencing  operations.  The  last  of  these 
men  I  now  discovered  had  a  trifling  knowledge  of  English, 
which  he  had  obtained  from  different  ships.  Still  he  was  a 
savage,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  the  little  information  thus 
gleaned,  serving  to  render  his  worst  propensities  more  dan 
gerous,  rather  than,  in  any  manner,  tempering  them.  He  now 
took  the  lead,  parading  all  his  men  in  two  lines  on  the  deck, 
making  a  significant  gesture  toward  his  fingers,  and  uttering, 
with  emphasis,  the  word  "  count."  I  did  count  the  wretches, 
making,  this  time,  one  hundred  and  six,  exclusively  of  the  two 
leaders. 

"  Tell  him,  down  there,"  growled  the  Dipper,  pointing  below. 

I  called  for  Mr.  Marble,  and  when  he  had  reached  the  com 
panion-way,  the  following  conversation  took  place  between  us : 

"  What  is  it  now,  Miles,  my  hearty  ?"  demanded  the  chief 
mate. 

"  I  am  ordered  to  tell  you,  sir,  that  the  Indians  number  one 
hundred  and  eight,  having  just  counted  them  for  this  purpose." 

"  I  wish  there  were  a  thousand,  as  we  are  about  to  lift  the 
deck  from  the  ship,  and  send  them  all  into  the  air.  Do  you 
think  they  can  understand  what  I  say,  Miles  ?" 

"  The  Dipper  does,  sir,  when  you  speak  slow  and  plain.  He 
has  only  half  a  notion  of  what  you  now  mean,  as  I  can  see  by 
his  countenance." 

"  Does  the  rascal  hear  me  now  ? — is  he  anywhere  near  the 
companion-way  ?" 

"  He  does,  and  is — he  is  standing  at  this  moment  on  the  lar- 


224  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

board  side  of  the  companion-way,  kneeling  one  knee  on  the  for 
ward  end  of  the  hen-coop." 

"  Miles,"  said  Marble,  in  a  doubting  sort  of  a  voice. 

"  Mr.  Marble — I  hear  what  you  say." 

"  Suppose — eh — lead  through  the  companion-way — eh — what 
would  happen  to  you  ?" 

"  I  should  care  little  for  that,  sir,  as  I  've  made  up  my  mind 
to  be  murdered.  But  it  would  do  no  good  just  now,  and  might 
do  harm.  I  will  tell  them,  however,  of  your  intention  to  blo^w 
them  up,  if  you  please ;  perhaps  that  may  make  them  a  little  shy." 

Marble  assented,  and  I  set  about  the  office  as  well  as  I  could. 
Most  of  my  communications  had  to  be  made  by  means  of  signs ; 
but,  in  the  end,  I  succeeded  in  making  the  Dipper  understand 
my  meaning.  By  this  man  the  purport  was  told  to  Smudge,  in 
terms.  The  old  man  listened  with  grave  attention,  but  the  idea 
of  being  blown  up  produced  no  more  effect  on  him  than  would 
have  been  produced  by  a  message  from  home  to  tell  him  that 
his  chimney  was  on  fire,  supposing  him  to  have  possessed  such 
a  civilized  instrument  of  comfort. 

That  he  fully  comprehended  his  friend,  I  could  see  by  the  ex 
pression  of  his  ourang-outang-looking  countenance.  But  fear 
was  a  passion  that  troubled  him  very  little ;  and,  sooth  to  say, 
a  man  whose  time  was  passed  in  a  condition  as  miserable  as  that 
in  which  he  habitually  dwelt,  had  no  great  reason  to  set  a  very 
hio-h  value  on  his  life.  Yet  these  miserable  wretches  never  com- 

O 

mit  suicide  !  That  is  a  relief  reserved  rather  for  those  who  have 
become  satiated  with  human  enjoyments,  nine  pampered  sen 
sualists  dying  in  this  mode  for  one  poor  wretch  whose  miseries 
have  driven  him  to  despair. 

I  was  astonished  at  seeing  the  intelligence  that  gleamed  in  the 
baboon-like  face  of  Smudge,  as  he  listened  to  his  friend's  words. 
Incredulity  was  the  intellectual  meaning  in  his  eye,  while  indif 
ference  seemed  seated  in  his  whole  visage. 

It  was  evident  the  threat  had  made  no  impression,  and  I 
managed  to  let  Marble  understand  as  much,  and  that  in  terms 
which  the  Dipper  could  not  very  well  comprehend.  I  got  no 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  225 

answer,  a  death-like  stillness  reigning  below  decks,  in  lieu  of  the 
bustle  that  had  so  lately  been  heard  there.  Smudge  seemed 
struck  Avith  the  change,  and  I  observed  he  was  giving  orders  to 
two  or  three  of  the  elder  savages,  apparently"  to  direct  a  greater 
degree  of  watchfulness.  I  confess  to  some  uneasiness  myself, 
for  expectation  is  an  unpleasant  guest  in  a  scene  like  that,  and 
more  especially  when  accompanied  by  uncertainty. 

Smudge  now  seemed  to  think  it  time  to  commence  his  opera 
tions  in  earnest.  Under  the  direction  of  the  Dipper  a  quantity 
of  line  was  thrown  into  the  yawl,  studding-halyards,  and  such 
other  rope  of  convenient  size  as  could  be  found  in  the  launch, 
and  the  boat  was  towed  by  two  or  three  canoes  to  the  island. 
Here  the  fellows  made  what  seamen  call  a  "  guess-warp"  of  their 
rope,  fastening  one  end  to  a  tree,  and  paying  out  line  as  the 
yawl  was  towed  back  again  to  the  ship.  The  Dipper's  calcula 
tion  proved  to  be  sufficiently  accurate,  the  rope  reaching  from 
the  vessel  to  the  tree. 

As  soon  as  this  feat  was  accomplished,  and  it  was  done  with 
sufficient  readiness,  though  somewhat  lubberly,  twenty  or  thirty 
of  the  savages  clapped  on  the  warp  until  they  had  tautened  it 
to  as  great  a  strain  as  it  would  bear.  After  this  they  ceased 
pulling,  and  I  observed  a  search  around  the  galley  in  quest  of 
the  cook's  axe,  evidently  with  a  design  to  cut  the  cables.  I 
thought  this  a  fact  worth  communicating  to  Marble,  and  I  re 
solved  to  do  so  at  the  risk  of  my  life. 

"  The  Indians  have  run  a  line  to  the  island,  and  are  about  to 
cut  the  cables,  no  doubt  intending  to  warp  the  ship  ashore,  and 
that,  too,  at  the  very  spot  where  they  once  had  the  Sea  Otter." 

"  Ay,  ay — let  them  go  on ;  we  '11  be  ready  for  them  in  time," 
was  the  only  answer  I  received. 

I  never  knew  whether  to  ascribe  the  apathy  the  savages  mani 
fested  to  this  communication,  to  a  wish  that  the  fact  might  be 
known  to  the  people  below,  or  to  indifference.  They  certainly 
proceeded  in  their  movements  with  just  as  much  coolness  as  if 
they  had  the  ship  all  to  themselves.  They  had  six  or  eight 
canoes,  and  parties  of  them  began  to  move  round  the  vessel 
10* 


'226  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

with  precisely  the  same  confidence  as  men  would  do  it  in  a 
friendly  port.  What  most  surprised  me  were  the  quiet  and  sub 
mission  to  orders  they  observed.  At  length  the'axe  was  found 
secreted  in  the  bows  of  the  launch,  and  Marble  was  apprised  of 
the  use  to  which  it  was  immediately  applied  by  the  heavy  blows 
that  fell  upon  the  cables. 

"  Miles,"  said  the  chief  mate,  "  these  blows  go  to  my  hearl  ! 
Are  the  blackguards  really  in  earnest  ?" 

"The  larboard  bower  is  gone,  sir,  and  the  blows  you  now 
hear  are  on  the  starboard,  which  is  already  half  in  two — that 
finishes  it ;  the  ship  now  hangs  only  by  the  warp." 

"  Is  there  any  wind,  boy  ?" 

"  Not  a  breath  of  it  in  the  bay,  though  I  can  see  a  little 
ripple  on  the  water  outside." 

"  Is  it  rising  or  falling  water,  Miles  ?" 

"  The  ebb  is  nearly  done — they'll  never  be  able  to  get  the 
ship  up  on  the  shelving  rock  where  they  had  the  Sea  Otter,  un 
til  the  water  rises  ten  or  twelve  feet." 

"  Thank  God  for  that !  I  was  afraid  they  might  get  her  on 
that  accursed  bed,  and  break  her  back  at  once." 

"  Is  it  of  any  importance  to  us,  Mr.  Marble  ?  What  hope  can 
we  have  of  doing  any  thing  against  such  odds,  and  in  our  cir 
cumstances  ?"  . 

"  The  odds  I  care  nothing  for,  boy.  My  lads  are  screwed  up 
so  tight,  they'd  lick  the  whole  north-west  coast,  if  they  could 
only  get  on  deck  without  having  their  fashion-pieces  stove  in. 
The  circumstances,  I  allow,  must  count  for  a  great  deal." 

"  The  ship  is  moving  fast  toward  the  island — I  see  no  hope 
for  us,  Mr.  Marble." 

"  I  say,  Miles,  it  is  worth  some  risk  to  try  and  save  the  craft 
— were  it  not  for  fear  of  you,  I  would  have  played  the  rascals  a 
trick  half  an  hour  since." 

"  Never  mind  me,  sir — it  was  my  fault  it  has  happened,  and 
I  ought  to  suffer  for  it — do  what  duty  and  discretion  tell  you  is 
best." 

I  waited  a  minute  after  this  in  intense  expectation,  not  know- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  227 

ing  what  was  to  follow,  when  a  report  made  me  fancy  for  an 
instant  some  attempt  was  making  to  blow  up  the  deck.  The 
wails  and  cries  that  succeeded,  however,  soon  let  me  into  the 
real  state  of  the  case.  A  volley  of  muskets  had  been  fired  from 
the  cabin  windows,  and  every  individual  in  two  canoes  that  were 
passing  at  the  time,  to  the  number  of  eleven,  were  shot  down 
like  bullocks.  Three  were  killed  dead,  and  the  remainder  re 
ceived  wounds  that  promised  to  be  mortal.  My  life  would  have 
been  the  instant  sacrifice  of  this  act,  had  it  not  been  for  the 
stern  authority  of  Smudge,  who  ordered  my  assailants*  off,  with 
a  manner  and  tone  that  produced  immediate  compliance.  It 
was  clear  I  was  reserved  for  some  peculiar  fate. 

Every  man  who  could,  rushed  into  the  remaining  canoes  and 
the  ship's  yawl,  in  order  to  pick  up  the  killed  .and  wounded,  as 
soon  as  the  nature  of  the  calamity  was  known.  I  watched  them 
from  the  taffrail,  and  soon  ascertained  that  Marble  was  doing 
the  same  from  the  windows  below  me.  But  the  savages  did  not 
dare  venture  in  a  line  with  a  fire  that  had  proved  so  fatal,  and 
were  compelled  to  wait  until  the  ship  had  moved  sufficiently 
ahead  to  enable  them  to  succor  their  friends  without  exposing 
their  own  lives.  As  this  required  some  distance  as  well  as  time, 
the  ship  was  not  only  left  without  a  canoe  or  boat  of  any  sort, 
in  the  water,  but  with  only  half  her  assailants  on  board  of  her. 
Those  who  did  remain,  for  want  of  means  to  attack  any  other 
enemy,  vented  their  spite  on  the  ship,  expending  all  their  strength 
in  frantic  efforts  on  the  warp.  The  result  was,  that  while  they 
gave  great  way  to  the  vessel,  they  finally  broke  the  line. 

I  was  leaning  on  the  wheel  with  Smudge  near  me,  when  this 
accident  occurred.  The  tide  was  still  running  ebb  and  with 
some  strength,  and  the  ship  was  just  entering  the  narrow  pas 
sage  between  the  island  and  the  point  that  formed  one  termina 
tion  of  the  bay,  heading,  of  course,  toward  the  tree  to  which 
the  warp  had  been  secured.  It  was  an  impulsive  feeling,  rather 
than  any  reason,  that  made  me  give  the  vessel  a  sheer  with  the 
helm,  so  as  to  send  her  directly  through  the  passage,  instead  of 
letting  her  strike  the  rocks.  I  had  no  eventual  hope  in  so  do- 


228  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

ing,  nor  any  other  motive  than  the  strong  reluctance  I  felt  to 
have  the  good  craft  hit  the  bottom.  Luckily,  the  Dipper  was 
in  the  canoes,  and  it  was  not  an  easy  matter  to  follow  the  ship, 
under  the  fire  from  her  cabin  windows,  had  he  understood  the 
case  and  been  disposed  to  do  so.  But  like  all  the  rest  in  the 
canoes,  he  was  busy  with  his  wounded  friends,  who  were  all 
earned  off  toward  the  creek.  This  left  me  master  of  the  ship's 
movements  for  five  minutes,  and  by  that  time  she  had  drawn 
through  the  passage,  and  was  actually  shooting  out  into  the 
open  ocean. 

This  was  a  novel,  and  in  some  respects  an  embarrassing  situa 
tion.  It  left  a  gleam  of  hope,  but  it  was  a  hope  without  a  di 
rection  and  almost  without  an  object.  I  could  perceive  that 
none  of  the  savages  on  board  had  any  knowledge  of  the  cause 
of  our  movement,  unless  they  might  understand  the  action  of  the 
tide.  They  had  expected  the  ship  to  be  run  ashore  at  the  tree; 
and  here  she  was  gliding  into  the  ocean,  and  was  already  clear 
of  the  passage.  The  effect  was  to  produce  a  panic,  and  fully  one 
half  of  those  who  had  remained  in  the  ship,  jumped  overboard 
and  began  to  swim  for  the  island.  I  was  momentarily  in  hope 
all  would  take  this  course  ;  but  quite  five-and-twenty  remained, 
more  from  necessity  than  choice,  as  I  afterward  discovered,  for 
they  did  not  know  how  to  swim.  Of  this  number  was  Smudge, 
who  probably  still  remained  to  secure  his  conquest. 

It  struck  me  the  moment  was  favorable,  and  I  went  to  the 
companion-way  and  was  about  to  remove  its  fastenings,  thinking 
the  ship  might  be  recovered  during  the  prevalence  of  the  panic. 
But  a  severe  blow,  and  a  knife  gleaming  in  the  hands  of  Smudge, 
admonished  me  of  the  necessity  of  greater  caution.  The  affair 
was  not  yet  ended,  nor  was  my  captor  a  man  as  easily  discon 
certed  as  I  had  incautiously  supposed.  Unpromising  as  ho 
seemed,  this  fellow  had  a  spirit  that  fitted  him  for  great  achieve 
ments,  and  which,  under  other  circumstances,  might  have  made 
him  a  hero.  He  taught  me  the  useful  lesson  of  not  judging  of 
men  merely  by  their  exteriors. 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  229 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Court.— "  Brother  John  Bates,  is  not  that  the  morning  which  breaks  yonder  f" 
Bates. — "  I  think  it  be ;  but  we  have  no  great  cause  to  desire  the  approach  of  day.1* 
Will. — "  We  see  yonder  the  beginning  of  the  day ;  but  I  think  we  shall  never  see 
the  end  of  it"— 

HBNKT  V. 

THE  ship  did  not  lose  her  steerage  way.  As  soon  as  past  the 
point  of  the_  island  a  gentle  southerly  breeze  was  felt,  and  act 
ing  on  the  spars  and  hull  it  enabled  rne,  by  putting  the  helm  a 
little  up,  to  keep  her  head  off  shore,  and  thus  increase  her  dis 
tance  from  the  bay.  The  set  of  the  tide  did  more  for  her  than 
the  wind,  it  is  true,  but  the  two  acting  in  unison,  carried  her 
away  from  the  coast  at  a  rate  that  nearly  equalled  two  knots  in 
the  hour.  This  was  slow  moving,  certainly,  for  a  vessel  in  such 
a  strait ;  but  it  would  require  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  for  the 
canoes  to  return  from  the  creek,  and  make  the  circuit  of  the 
island  by  the  other  channel.  By  that  time  we  should  be  near 
half  a  mile  at  sea. 

Smudge,  beyond  a  question,  understood  that  he  was  in  a  di 
lemma,  though  totally  ignorant  of  some  of  the  leading  difficul 
ties  of  his  case.  It  was  plain  to  me  he  could  not  comprehend 
why  the  ship  took  the  direction  of  the  offing,  for  he  had  no  con 
ception  of  the  power  of  the  rudder.  Our  tiller  worked  below, 
and  it  is  possible  this  circumstance  mystified  him  ;  more  small 
vessels  in  that  day  managing  their  helms  without  the  aid  of  the 
wheel,  than  with  it.  At  length  the  movement  of  the  vessel  be 
came  too  palpable  to  admit  of  further  delay  ;  and  this  savage 
approached  me  with  a  drawn  knife,  and  a  manner  that  proved 
natural  affection  had  not  been  the  motive  of  his  previous  mod 
eration.  After  flourishing  his  weapon  fiercely  before  my  eyes, 
and  pressing  it  most  significantly,  once  or  twice,  against  my 


230  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

'breast,  he  made  signs  for  me  to  cause  the  ship  to  turn  round 
and  re-enter  the  port.  I  thought  my  last  moment  had  come, 
but  naturally  enough  pointed  to  the  spars,  giving  my  master  to 
understand  that  the  vessel  was  not  in  her  usual  trim.  I  believe 
I  was  understood  as  to  this  part  of  my  excuses,  it  being  too  ap 
parent  that  our  masts  and  yards  were  not  in  their  usual  places, 
for  the  fact  to  be  overlooked  even  by  a  savage.  Smudge,  how 
ever,  saw  that  several  of  the  sails  were  bent,  and  he  pointed  to 
those,  growling  out  his  threats  should  I  refuse  to  set  them.  The 
spanker,  in  particular,  being  near  him,  he  took  hold  of  it,  shook 
it,  and  ordered  me  to  loosen  it  forthwith. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say,  I  obeyed  this  order  with  secret 
joy.  Casting  loose  the  brails,  I  put  the  out-hauler  in  the  hands 
of  a  dozen  of  the  savages,  and  set  the  example  of  pulling.  In  a 
minute  we  had  this  sail  spread,  with  the  sheet  a  little  eased  off. 
I  then  led  a  party  forward,  and  got  the  fore  and  main  staysails 
on  the  ship.  To  these  were  added  the  mizzen  staysail,  the  only 
other  piece  of  canvas  we  could  show,  until  the  topmasts  were 
fidded.  The  effect  of  these  four  sails,  however,  was  to  add  at 
least  another  knot  to  the  way  of  the  ship,  and  to  carry  her  out 
sooner  to  a  point  where  she  felt  the  full  force  of  the  light  breeze 
that  was  blowing  from  the  south-east.  By  the  time  the  four  sails 
were  set,  we  were  fully  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  island,  every 
instant  getting  more  fairly  into  the  true  currents  of  the  aii'. 

Smudge  watched  me  with  the  eyes  of  a  hawk.  As  I  had 
obeyed  his  own  orders  in  making  sail,  he  could  not  complain  of 
that ;  but  the  result  evidently  disappointed  him.  He  saw  we 
were  still  moving  in  the  wrong  direction,  and  as  yet,  not  a  canoe 
was  visible.  As  for  these  last,  now  the  vessel  had  way  on  her, 
I  was  not  without  hopes  of  being  able  to  keep  them  exposed  to 
the  fire  from  the  cabin  windows,  and,  finally,  of  getting  rid  of 
them  by  drawing  off  the  land  to  a  distance  they  would  not  be 
likely  to  follow.  The  Dipper,  however,  I  was  aware,  was  a  bold 
fellow — knew  something  of  vessels — and  I  was  determined  to 
give  a  hint  to  Marble  to  pick  Mm  off,  should  he  come  within 
range  of  his  muskets. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  231 

In  the  mean  time  the  alarm  and  impatience  of  Smudge  and 
his  companions  very  sensibly  increased.  Five  minutes  were  an 
age,  in  the  circumstances  in  which  they  were  placed,  and  I  saw 
that  it  would  soon  be  necessary  to  adopt  some  new  expedient, 
or  I  might  expect  to  be  sacrificed  to  the  resentment  of  these 
savages.  Necessity  sharpens  the  wits,  and  I  hit  upon  a  scheme 
which  was  not  entirely  without  the  merit  of  ingenuity.  As  it 
was,  I  suppose  I  owed  my  life  to  the  consciousness  of  the  sav 
ages  that  they  could  do  nothing  without  me. 

Smudge,  with  three  or  four  of  the  fiercest  of  his  companions, 
had  begun  again  to  menace  me  with  the  knife,  making  signs,  at 
the  same  time,  for  me  to  turn  the  ship's  head  toward  the  land. 
I  asked  for  a  little  room,  and  then  describing  a  long  circle  on 
tne  deck,  pointing  to  the  four  sails  we  had  set,  and  this  in  a  way 
to  tell  them  that  under  the  canvas  we  carried,  it  would  be  neces 
sary  to  go  a  great  distance  in  order  to  turn  round.  When  I  had 
succeeded  in  communicating  this  idea,  I  forthwith  set  about 
giving  them  to  understand  that  by  getting  up  the  topmasts,  and 
making  more  sail,  we  might  return  immediately.  The  savages 
understood  me,  and  the  explanation  appearing  reasonable  to 
them,  they  went  aside  and  consulted  together.  As  time  press 
ed,  it  was  not  long  before  Smudge  came  to  me  with  signs  to 
show  him  and  his  party  how  to  get  the  remainder  of  the  sails 
set.  Of  course,  I  was  not  backward  in  giving  the  desired  infor 
mation. 

In  a  few  minutes,  I  had  a  string  of  the  savages  hold  of  the 
mast-rope,  forward,  a  luff-tackle  being  applied.  As  every  thing 
was  ready  aloft,  all  we  had  to  do  was  to  pull,  until,  judging  by 
the  eye,  I  thought  the  spar  was  high  enough,  when  I  ran  up  the 
rigging  and  clapped  in  the  fid.  Having  the  topmast  out  of  the 
way,  without  touching  any  of  its  rigging,  I  went  down  on  the 
fore-yard,  and  loosened  the  sail.  This  appeared  so  much  like 
business,  that  the  savages  gave  sundry  exclamations  of  delight ; 
and  by  the  time  I  got  on  deck,  they  were  all  ready  to  applaud 
me  as  a  good  fellow.  Even  Smudge  was  completely  mystified ; 
and  when  I  set  the  others  at  work  at  the  jeer-fall  to  sway  up 


232  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

the  fore-yard,  he  was  as  active  as  any  of  them.  We  soon  had 
the  yard  in  its  place,  and  I  went  aloft  to  secure  it,  touching  the 
braces  first  so  as  to  fill  the  sail. 

The  reader  may  rest  assured  I  did  not  hurry  myself,  now  I 
had  things  in  so  fair  a  way.  I  could  perceive  that  my  power 
and  importance  increased  with  every  foot  we  went  from  the 
land  ;  and  the  ship  steering  herself  under  such  canvas,  the  wheel 
being  a  trifle  up,  there  was  no  occasion  for  extraordinary  exer 
tion  on  my  part.  I  determined  now  to  stay  aloft  as  long  as 
possible.  The  yard  was  soon  secured,  and  then  I  went  up  into 
the  top,  where  I  began  to  set  up  the  weather-rigging.  Of 
course,  nothing  was  very  thoroughly  done,  though  sufficiently 
so  for  the  weather  we  had. 

From  the  top  I  had  a  good  view  of  the  offing,  and  of  the 
coast  for  leagues.  We  were  now  quite  a  mile  at  sea,  and,  though 
the  tide  was  no  longer  of  any  use  to  us,  we  were  drawing 
through  the  water  quite  at  the  rate  of  two  knots.  I  thought 
that  the  flood  had  made,  and  that  it  took  us  a  little  on  our  lee- 
bow,  haw  sing  us  up  to  windward.  Just  as  I  had  got  the  last 
lanyard  fastened,  the  canoes  began  to  appear,  coming  round  the 
island  by  the  farther  passage,  and  promising  to  overtake  us  in 
the  course  of  the  next  twenty  minutes.  The  crisis  demanded 
decision,  and  T  determined  to  get  the  jib  on  the  ship.  Accord 
ingly,  I  was  soon  on  deck. 

.  Having  so  much  the  confidence  of  the  savages,  who  now 
fancied  their  return  depended  on  me,  I  soon  had  them  at  work, 
and  we  had  the  stay  set  up  in  two  or  three  minutes.  I  then 
ran  out  and  cast  off  the  gaskets,  when  my  boys  began  to  hoist 
at  a  signal  from  me.  I  have  seldom  been  so  happy  as  when  I 
saw  that  large  sheet  of  canvas  open  to  the  air.  The  sheet  was 
hauled  in  and  belayed  as  fast  as  possible,  and  then  it  struck  me 
I  should  not  have  time  to  do  any  more  before  the  canoes  would 
overtake  us.  It  was  my  wish  to  communicate  with  Marble. 
While  passing  aft,  to  effect -this  object,  I  paused  a  moment  to 
examine  the  movement  of  the  canoes ; '  old  Smudge,  the  whole 
time,  expressing  his  impatience  that  the  ship  did  not  turn 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  233 

round.  I  make  no  doubt  I  should  have  been  murdered  a  dozen 
times,  had  I  lives  enough,  were  it  not  that  the  savages  felt  how 
dependent  they  were  on  me  for  the  government  of  the  vessel. 
I  began  to  see  my  importance,  and  grew  bold  in  proportion. 

As  for  the  canoes,  I  took  a  look  at  them  through  a  glass. 
They  were  about  half  a  mile  distant,  had  ceased  paddling,  and 
were  lying  close  together,  seemingly  in  consultation.  I  fancied 
the  appearance  of  the  ship,  under  canvas,  had  alarmed  them, 
and  that  they  began  to  think  we  had  regained  the  vessel,  and 
were  getting  her  in  sailing  condition  again,  and  that  it  might 
not  be  prudent  to  come  too  near.  Could  I  confirm  this  impres 
sion,  a  great  point  would  be  gained.  Under  the  pretence  of 
making  more  sail,  in  order  to  get  the  ship's  head  round,  a  diffi 
culty  I  had  to  explain  to  Smudge  by  means  of  signs  some  six  or 
eight  times,  I  placed  the  savages  at  the  main-topmasi  mast- 
rope,  and  told  them  to  drag.  This  was  a  task  likely  to  keep 
them  occupied,  and  what  was  more,  it  kept  them  all  looking 
forward,  leaving  me  affecting  to  be  busied  aft.  I  had  given 
Smudge  a  cigar  too,  to  put  him  in  good-humor,  and  I  had  also 
taken  the  liberty  to  light  one  for  myself. 

Our  guns  had  all  been  primed,  levelled,  and  had  their 
tompions  taken  out  the  night  before,  in  readiness  to  repel  any 
assault  that  might  be  made.  I  had  only  to  remove  the  apron 
from  the  after-gun,  and  it  was  ready  to  be  discharged.  Going 
to  the  wheel,  I  put  the  helm  hard  up,  until  our  broadside  bore 
on  the  canoes.  Then  glancing  along  my  gun,  until  I  saw  it  had 
a  tolerable  range,  I  clapped  the  cigar  to  the  priming,  springing 
back  to  the  wheel,  and  putting  the  helm  down.  The  explosion 
produced  a  general  yell  among  the  savages,  several  of  whom 
actually  leaped  into  the  chains  ready  to  go  overboard,  while 
Smudge  rushed  toward  me,  fiercely  brandishing  his  knife.  I 
thought  my  time  had  come  !  but,  perceiving  that  the  ship  was 
luffing  fast,  I  motioned  eagerly  forward,  to  draw  the  attention 
of  my  assailant  in  that  quarter.  The  vessel  was  coming-to,  and 
Smudge  was  easily  induced  to  believe  it  was  the  commencement 
of  turning  round.  The  breathing  time  allowed  me  to  mystify 


234  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

him  with  a  few  more  signs  ;  after  which,  he  rejoined  his  people, 
showed  them  exultmgly  the  ship  still  luffing,  and  I  make  no 
doubt,  he  thought  himself,  and  induced  the  rest  to  think,  that 
the  gun  had  a  material  agency  in  producing  all  these  apparent 
changes.  As  for  the  canoes,  the  grape  had  whistled  so  near 
them,  that  they  began  to  paddle  back,  doubtless  under  the  im 
pression,  that  we  were  again  masters  of  the  ship,  and  had  sent 
them  this  hint  to  keep  aloof. 

Thus  far  I  had  succeeded  beyond  my  most  sanguine  expecta 
tions  ;  and  I  began  to  entertain  lively  hopes  of  not  only  saving 
my  life,  but  of  recovering  the  command  of  the  vessel.  Could  I 
manage  to  get  her  out  of  sight  of  land,  my  services  would  be  so 
indispensable,  as  almost  to  insure  success.  The  coast  was  very 
low,  and  a  run  of  six  or  eight  hours  would  do  this,  provided  the 
vessel's  head  could  be  kept  in  the  right  direction.  The  wind, 
moreover,  was  freshening,  and  I  judged  that  the  Crisis  had  al 
ready  four  knots  way  on  her.  Less  than  twenty  miles  would 
put  all  the  visible  coast  under  water.  But  it  was  time  to  say 
something  to  Marble.  With  a  view  to  lull  distrust,  I  called 
Smudge  to  the  companion-way,  in  order  that  he  might  hear 
what  passed,  though  I  felt  satisfied,  now  that  the  Dipper,  was 
out  of  the  ship,  not  a  soul  remained  among  the  savages  who 
could  understand  a  syllable  of  English,  or  knew  any  thing  of 
vessels.  The  first  call  brought  the  mate  to  the  door.  "  Well, 
Miles ;  what  is  it  ?"  he  asked  ;  "  what  meant  the  gun,  and  who 
fired  it?" 

"  All  right,  Mr.  Marble.  I  fired  the  gun  to  keep  off  the  ca 
noes,  and  it  has  had  the  effect  I  wished." 

"  Yes ;  my  head  was  out  of  the  cabin  window  at  the  time, 
for  I  believed  the  ship  was  waring,  and  thought  you  had  given 
up,  and  were  going  back  into  port.  I  saw  the  round-shot  strike 
within  twenty  fathoms  of  the  canoes,  and  as  for  the  grape,  some 
of  it  flew  beyond  them.  Why,  we  are  more  than  half  a  league 
from  the  land,  boy  !  Will  Smudge  stand  that  much  longer  ?" 

I  then  told  Marble  precisely  how  we  were  situated  on  deck, 
the  sail  we  were  under,  the  number  of  savages  we  had  on  board. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHOKE.  235 

and  the  notion  the  savages  entertained  on  the  subject  of  turning 
the  ship  round.  It  is  not  easy  to  say  which  listened  with  the 
most  attention,  Marble  or  Smudge.  The  latter  made  frequent 
gestures  for  me  to  turn  the  ship  toward  the  coast,  for  by  this 
time  she  had  the  wind  abeam  again,  and  was  once  more  running 
in  a  straight  line.  It  was  necessary,  on  more  accounts  than  one, 
to  adopt  some  immediate  remedy  for  the  danger  that  began  to 
press  on  me  anew.  Not  only  must  Smudge  and  his  associates 
be  pacified,  but,  as  the  ship  got  into  the  offing,  she  began  to 
feel  the  ground-swell,  and  her  spars  aloft  were  any  thing  but 
secure.  The  main-topmast  was  about  half  up,  and  it  was  begin 
ning  to  surge  and  move  in  the  cap  in  a  way  I  did  not  like.  It 
is  true,  there  was  not  much  danger  yet ;  but  the  wind  was  rising, 
and  what  was  to  be  done  ought  to  be  done  at  once.  I  was  not 
sorry,  however,  to  perceive  that  five  or  six  of  the  savages, 
Smudge  among  the  number,  began  to  betray  signs  of  sea 
sickness.  I  would  have  given  Clawbonny  at  the  moment  to 
have  had  all  the  rascals  in  rough  water ! 

I  now  endeavored  to  make  Smudge  understand  the  necessity 
of  my  having  assistance  from  below,  both  to  assist  in  turning 
the  vessel,  and  in  getting  the  yards  and  masts  into  their  places. 
The  old  fellow  shook  his  head  and  looked  grave  at  this.  I  saw 
he  was  not  sick  enough  yet  to  be  indifferent  about  his  life. 
After  a  time,  however,  he  pronounced  the  names  of  Neb  and 
Yo,  the  blacks  having  attracted  the  attention  of  the  savages,  the 
last  being  the  cook.  I  understood  him  he  would  suffer  these 
two  to  come  to  my  assistance,  provided  it  could  be  done  with 
out  endangering  his  own  ascendency.  Three  unarmed  men 
could  hardly  be  dangerous  to  twenty-five  who  were  armed  ;  and 
then  I  suspected  that  he  fancied  the  negroes  would  prove  allies 
to  himself,  in  the  event  of  a  struggle,  rather  than  foes.  As  for 
Neb,  he  made  a  fatal  mistake ;  nor  was  he  much  nearer  the 
truth  in  regard  to  Joe — or  Yo,  as  he  called  him — the  cook  feel- 

O  ' 

ing  quite  as  much  for  the  honor  of  the  American  flag,  as  the 
fairest-skinned  seaman  in  the  country.  It  is  generally  found 
that  the  loyalty  of  the  negroes  is  of  proof. 


236  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

I  found  means  to  make  Smudge  understand  the  manner  in 
which  these  two  blacks  could  be  got  on  deck  without  letting  up 
the  rest.  As  soon  as  he  fairly  comprehended  the  means  to  be 
used,  he  cheerfully  acquiesced,  and  I  made  the  necessary  com 
munication  to  Marble.  A  rope  was  sent  down  over  the  stern- 
boat  to  the  cabin  windows,  and  Neb  took  a  turn  round  his 
body ;  when  he  was  hauled  up  to  the  gunwale  of  the  boat,  into 
which  he  was  dragged  by  the  assistance  of  the  savages.  The 
same  process  was  used  with  Joe.  Before  the  negroes  were  per 
mitted  to  go  aloft,  however,  Smudge  made  them  a  brief  oration, 
in  which  oracular  sentences  were  blended  with  significant  gest 
ures,  and  indications  of  what  they  were  to  expect  in  the  event 
of  bad  behavior.  After  this,  I  sent  the  blacks  into  the  main-top, 
and  glad  enough  I  thought  they  were  both  to  get  there. 

Thus  reinforced,  we  had  the  main-topmast  fidded  in  a  very  few 
minutes.  Neb  was  then  directed  to  set  up  the  rigging,  and  to 
clear  away  the  yard,  so  it  might  be  got  into  its  place.  In  a 
word,  an  hour  passed  in  active  exertions,  at  the  end  of  which 
we  had  every  thing  rove,  bent,  and  in  its  place,  on  the  mainmast, 
from  the  topmast-head  to  the  deck.  The  topgallant-mast  was 
lying  fore  and  aft  in  the  waist,  and  could  not  then  be  touched ; 
nor  was  it  necessary.  I  ordered  the  men  to  loosen  both  sails, 
and  to  overhaul  down  their  rigging.  In  the  eyes  of  Smudge, 
this  looked  highly  promising ;  and  the  savages  gave  a  yell  of 
delight  when  they  saw  the  topsail  fairly  filled  and  drawing.  I 
added  the  mainsail  to  the  pressure,  and  then  the  ship  began  to 
walk  off  the  coast,  at  a  rate  that  promised  all  I  hoped  for.  It 
was  now  necessary  for  me  to  stick  by  the  wheel,  of  the  uses  of 
which  Smudge  began  to  obtain  some  notions.  At  this  time, 
the  vessel  was  more  than  two  leagues  from  the  island,  and 
objects  began  to  look  dim  along  the  coast.  As  for  the  canoes, 
they  could  no  longer  be  seen,  and  chasing  us  any  farther  was 
quite  out  of  the  question.  I  felt  that  the  crisis  was  ap 
proaching. 

Smudge  and  his  companions  now  became  more  and  more 
earnest  on  the  subject  of  turning  the  ship  round.  The  indis- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  237 

tinctness  of  the  land  began  seriously  to  alarm  them,  and  sea 
sickness  had  actually  placed  four  of  their  number  flat  on  the 
deck.  I  could  see  that  the  old  fellow  himself  was  a  good  deal 
affected,  though  his  spirit,  and  the  risks  he  ran,  kept  him  in 
motion,  and  vigilantly  on  the  watch.  It  was  necessary  to  seem 
to  do  something ;  and  I  sent  the  negroes  up  into  the  fore-top, 
to  get  the  topsail-yard  in  its  place,  and  the  sail  set.  This  oc 
cupied  another  hour,  before  we  were  entirely  through,  when  the 
land  was  getting  nearly  awash.  As  soon  as  the  mizzen-topsail 
was  set,  I  braced  sharp  up,  and  brought  the  ship  close  upon  the 
wind.  This  caused  the  Indians  to  wilt  down  like  flowers  under 
a  burning  sun,  just  as  I  expected ;  there  being,  by  this  time,  a 
seven-knot  breeze,  and  a  smart  head-sea  on.  Old  Smudge  felt 
that  his  forces  were  fast  deserting  him,  and  he  now  came  to  me, 
in  a  manner  that  would  not  be  denied,  and  I  felt  the  necessity 
of  doing  something  to  appease  him.  I  got  the  savages  station 
ed  as  well  as  I  could,  hauled  up  the  mainsail,  and  put  the  ship 
in  stays.  We  tacked  better  than  I  could  have  believed  possible, 
and  when  my  wild  captors  saw  that  we  were  actually  moving  in 
the  direction  of  the  land,  again,  their  delight  was  infinite.  Their 
leader  was  ready  to  hug  me ;  but  I  avoided  this  pleasure  in  the 
best  manner  I  could.  As  for  the  consequences,  I  had  no  appre 
hensions,  knowing  we  were  too  far  off"  to  have  any  reason  to 
dread  the  canoes,  and  being  certain  it  was  easy  enough  to  avoid 
them  in  such  a  breeze. 

Smudge  and  his  companions  were  less  on  the  alert,  as  soon 
as  they  perceived  the  ship  was  going  in  the  proper  direction 
They  probably  believed  the  danger  in  a  measure  over,  and  they 
began  to  yield  a  little  to  their  physical  sufferings.  I  called  Neb 
to  the  wheel,  and  leaning  over  the  taffrail,  I  succeeded  in  getting 
Marble  to  a  cabin  window,  without  alarming  Smudge.  I  then 
told  the  mate  to  get  all  his  forces  in  the  forecastle,  having 
observed  that  the  Indians  avoided  that  part  of  the  vessel,  on 
account  of  the  heavy  plunges  she  occasionally  made,  and  pos 
sibly  because  they  fancied  our  p<jople  were  all  aft.  As  soon  as 
the  plan  was  understood,  I  strolled  forward,  looking  up  at  the 


238  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

sails,  and  touching  a  rope,  here  and  there,  like  one  bent  on  his 
ordinary  duty.  The  savage  stationed  at  the  fore-scuttle  was  as 
sick  as  a  dog,  and  with  streaming  eyes,  he  was  paying  the  lands 
men's  tribute  to  the  sea.  The  hatch  was  very  strong,  and  it 
was  secured  simply  by  its  hasp  and  a  bit  of  iron  thrust  through 
it.  I  had  only  to  slip  my  hand  down,  remove  the  iron,  throw 
open  the  hatch,  when  the  ship's  company  streamed  up  on  deck. 
Marble  leading. 

It  was  not  a  moment  for  explanations.  I  saw  at  a  glance, 
that  the  mate  and  his  followers  regarded  the  situation  of  the 
ship  very  differently  from  what  I  did  myself.  I  had  now  been 
hours  with  the  savages,  had  attained  a  little  of  their  confidence, 
and  knew  how  dependent  they  were  on  myself  for  their  final 
safety ;  all  of  which,  in  a  small  degree,  disposed  me  to  treat 
them  with  some  of  the  lenity  I  fancied  I  had  received  from  them, 
in  my  own  person.  But,  Marble  and  the  crew  had  been  chafing 
below,  like  caged  lions,  the  whole  time,  and,  as  I  afterward 
learned,  had  actually  taken  an  unanimous  vote  to  blow  them 
selves  up,  before  they  would  permit  the  Indians  to  retain  the 
control  of  the  vessel.  Then  poor  Captain  Williams  was  much 
beloved  forward,  and  his  death  remained  to  be  avenged.  I 
would  have  said  a  word  in  favor  of  my  captors,  but  the  first 
glance  I  got  at  the  flushed  face  of  the  mate,  told  me  it  would  be 
useless.  I  turned,  therefore,  to  the  sick  savage  who  had  been 
left  as  a  sentinel  over  the  fore-scuttle,  to  prevent  his  interference. 
This  man  was  armed  with  the  pistols  that  had  been  taken  from 
me,  and  he  showed  a  disposition  to  use  them.  I  was  too  quick 
in  my  motions,  however,  falling  upon  him  so  soon  as  to  prevent 
one  who  was  not  expert  with  the  weapons  from  using  them. 
We  clenched,  and  fell  on  the  deck  together,  the  Indian  letting 
the  pistols  fall  to  meet  my  grasp. 

As  this  occurred,  I  heard  the  cheers  of  the  seamen ;  and 
Marble,  shouting  out  to  "  revenge  Captain  Williams,"  gave  the 
order  to  charge.  I  soon  had  my  own  fellow  perfectly  at  my 
mercy,  and  got  him  so  near  the  end  of  the  jib  downhaul,  as  to 
secure  him  with  a  turn  or  two  of  that  rope.  The  man  made 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHOKE.  239 

little  resistance,  after  the  first  onset ;  and,  catching  up  the  pis 
tols,  I  left  him,  to  join  in  what  was  doing  aft.  As  I  lay  on  the 
deck,  I  heard  several  plunges  into  the  water,  and  then  half  a 
dozen  of  most  cruelly  crushing  blows,  succeeded.  Not  a  shot 
was  fired  by  either  party,  though  some  of  t>ur  people,  who  had 
carried  all  their  arms  below  the  night  the  ship  was  seized,  used 
their  pikes  with  savage  freedom.  By  the  time  I  got  as  far  aft 
as  the  mainmast,  the  vessel  was  our  own.  Nearly  half  the  In 
dians  had  thrown  themselves  into  the  sea;  the  remaining  dozen 
had  either  been  knocked  in  the  head  like  beeves,  or  were  stuck, 
like  so  many  porkers.  The  dead  bodies  followed  the  living  into 
the  sea.  Old  Smudge  alone  remained,  at  the  moment  of  which 
I  have  spoken. 

The  leader  of  the  savages  was  examining  the  movements  of 
Neb,  at  the  moment  the  shout  was  raised ;  and  the  black,  aban 
doning  the  wheel,  threw  his  arms  round  those  of  the  old  man, 
holding  him  like  a  vice.  In  this  situation  he  was  found  by 
Marble  and  myself,  who  approached  at  the  same  instant,  one  on 
each  side  of  the  quarter-deck. 

"  Overboard  with  the  blackguard !"  called  out  the  excited 
mate ;  "  overboard  with  him,  Neb,  like  a  trooper's  horse  !" 

"  Hold,"  I  interrupted ;  "  spare  the  old  wretch,  Mr.  Marble ; 
he  spared  me." 

A  request  from  me  would,  at  any  moment,  outweigh  an  order 
from  the  captain,  himself,  so  far  as  the  black  was  concerned, 
else  Smudge  would  certainly  have  gone  into  the  ocean,  like  a 
bundle  of  straw.  Marble  had  in  him  a  good  deal  of  the  indif 
ference  to  bodily  suffering  that  is  generated  by  habit,  and, 
aroused,  he  was  a  dangerous,  and  sometimes  a  hard  man ;  but^ 
in  the  main,  he  was  not  cruel ;  and  then  he  was  always  manly. 
In  the  short  struggle  which  he  had  passed,  he  had  actually 
dropped  his  pike,  to  knock  an  Indian  down  with  his  fist ;  bun 
dling  the  fellow  through  a  port  without  ceremony,  ere  he  had 
time  to  help  himself!  But  he  disdained  striking  Smudge,  with 
such  odds  against  him ;  and  he  went  to  the  helm,  himself,  bid 
ding  Neb  secure  the  prisoner.  Glad  of  this  little  relief  to  a 


240  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

scene  so  horrible,  I  ran  forward,  intending  to  bring  my  own 
prisoner  aft,  and  to  have  the  two  confined  together,  below.  But 
I  was  too  late.  One  of  the  Philadelphians  had  just  got  the  poor 
wretch's  head  and  shoulders  through  the  bow-port,  and  I  was 
barely  in  time  to  see  his  feet  disappear. 

Not  a  cheer  was  given  for  our  success.  When  all  was  over, 
the  men  stood  gazing  at  each  other,  stern,  frowning,  and  yet 
with  the  aspects  of  those  who  felt  they  had  been,  in  a  manner, 
disgraced  by  the  circumstances  which  led  them  to  the  necessity 
of  thus  regaining  the  command  of  their  own  vessel.  As  for  my 
self,  I  ran  and  sprang  upon  the  taffrail  to  look  into  the  ship's 
wake.  A  painful  sight  met  me.  there !  During  the  minute  or 
two  passed  in  the  brief  struggle,  the  Crisis  had  gone  steadily 
ahead,  like  the  earth  moving  in  its  orbit,  indifferent  to  the 
struggles  of  the  nations  that  are  contending  on  its  bosom.  I 
could  see  Jieads  and  arms  tossing  in  our  track  for  a  hundred 
fathoms,  those  who  could  not  swim  struggling  to  the  last  to 
preserve  their  existence.  Marble,  Smudge,  and  Neb,  were  all 
looking  in  the  same  direction,  at  that  instant.  Under  an  im 
pulse  I  could  not  control,  I  ventured  to  suggest  that  we  might 
yet  tack  and  save  several  of  the  wretches. 

"  Let  them  drown,  and  be  d — d !"  was  the  chief  mate's  sen 
tentious  answer. 

"  No — no — Masser  Mile,"  Neb  ventured  to  add,  with  a  re 
monstrating  shake  of  the  head,  "  dat  will  nebber  do — no  good 
ebber  come  of  Injin.  If  you  don't  drown  him,  he  sartain  drown 
you." 

I  saw  it  was  idle  to  remonstrate,  and  by  this  time  one  dark 
spot  after  another  began  to  disappear,  as  the  victims  sank  in  the 
ocean.  As  for  Smudge,  his  eye  was  riveted  on  the  struggling 
forms  of  his  followers,  in  a  manner  to  show  that  traces  of  hu 
man  feeling  are  to  be  found,  in  some  aspect  or  other,  in  every 
condition  of  life.  I  thought  I  could  detect  workings  of  the 
countenance  of  this  being,  indurated  as  his  heart  had  become 
by  a  long  life  of  savage  ferocity,  which  denoted  how  keenly  he 
felt  the  sudden  destruction  that  had  alighted  on  his  tribe.  He 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  241 

might  have  had  sons  and  grandsons  among  those  struggling 
wretches,  on  whom  he  was  now  gazing  for  the  last  time.  If  so, 
his  self-command  was  almost  miraculous;  for  while  I  could  sec 
that  he  felt,  and  felt  intensely,  not  a  sign  of  weakness  escaped 
him.  As  the  last  head  sunk  from  view  I  could  see  him  shud 
der,  a  suppressed  groan  escaped  him,  then  he  turned  his  faco 
toward  the  bulwarks,  and  stood  immovable  as  one  of  the  pinos 
of  his  own  forests,  for  a  long  time.  I  asked  Marble's  permission 
to  release  the  old  man's  arms,  and  the  mate  granted  it,  though 
not  without  growling  a  few  curses  on  him,  and  on  all  who  had 
been  concerned  in  the  late  occurrences  on  board  the  ship. 

There  was  too  much  duty  to  be  done,  to  render  all  secure,  to 
suffer  us  to  waste  much  time  in  mere  sympathy.  All  the  top 
mast  rigging,  backstays,  etc.,  had  to  be  set  up  afresh,  and  gangs 
were  sent  about  this  duty,  forward  and  aft.  The  blood  was 
washed  from  the  decks,  and  a  portion  of  the  crew  got  along  the 
topgallant-masts,  and  pointed  them.  The  topsails  were  all  close 
reefed,  the  courses  hauled  up,  the  spanker  and  jib  taken  in,  and 
the  ship  hove-to.  It  wanted  but  two  hours  of  sunset  when  Mr. 
Marble  had  got  tilings  to  his  mind.  We  had  crossed  royal- 
yards,  and  had  every  thing  set  that  would  draw,  from  the  trucks 
down.  The  launch  was  in  the  water  towing  astern ;  the  ship 
was  then  about  a  mile  from  the  southern  passage  into  the  bay, 
toward  which  she  was  steering  with  the  wind  very  much  as  it 
had  been  since  an  hour  after  sunrise,  though  slightly  falling. 
Our  guns  were  loose,  and  the  crew  was  at  quarters.  Even  .1  did 
not  know  what  the  new  captain  intended  to  do,  for  he  had  given 
his  orders  in  the  manner  of  one  whose  mind  was  too  immovably 
made  up  to  admit  of  consultation.  The  larboard  battery  was 
manned,  and  orders  had  been  given  to  sec  the  guns  on  that  side 
levelled  and  ready  for  firing.  As  the  ship  brushed  past  the 
island,  in  entering  the  bay,  the  whole  of  this  broadside  was  de 
livered  in  among  its  bushes  and  trees.  We  heard  a  few  yells  in 
reply,  that  satisfied  us  the  grape  had  told,  and  that  Marble  had 
not  miscalculated  the  position  of  some  of  his  enemies,  at  lea^t. 

When  the  ship  entered  the  little  bay,  it  was  with  a  moderate 
11 


242  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

and  steady  movement,  the  breeze  being  greatly  broken  by  the 
forests.  The  main-yard  was  thrown  aback,  and  I  was  ordered 
into  the  launch,  with  its  crew  armed.  A  swivel  was  in  the  bows 
of  the  boat,  jvnd  I  pulled  into  the  creek  in  order  to  ascertain  if 
there  were  any  signs  of  the  savages.  In  entering  the  creek  the 
swivel  was  discharged,  according  to  orders,  and  we  soon  detected 
proofs  that  we  disturbed  a  bivouac.  I  now  kept  loading  and 
firing  this  little  piece  into  the  bushes,  supporting  it  with  occa 
sional  volleys  of  musketry,  until  pretty  well  satisfied  that  we 
had  swept  the  shore  effectually.  At  the  bivouac  I  found  the 
canoes  and  our  own  yawl,  and  what  was  some  little  revenge  for 
what  had  happened,  I  also  found  a  pile  of  no  less  than  six  hundred 
skins,  which  had  doubtless  been  brought  to  trade  with  us,  if 
necessary,  in  order  to  blind  our  eyes  until  the  favorable  moment 
for  the  execution  of  the  conspiracy  should  offer.  I  made  no 
scruple  about  confiscating  these  skins,  which  were  taken  on 
board  the  ship. 

I  next  went  to  the  island,  on  which  I  found  one  man  dying 
with  a  grape-shot  wound,  and  evidence  that  a  considerable  party 
had  left  it,  as  soon  as  they  felt  our  fire.  This  party  had  proba 
bly  gone  outside  the  island,  but  it  was  getting  too  late  to  follow. 
On  my  return  I  met  the  ship  coming  out,  Captain  Marble  being 
determined  not  to  trust  her  inside  another  night.  The  wind 
was  getting  light,  and  the  tides  running  fiercely  in  that  high 
latitude,  we  were  glad  to  make  an  offing  again  while  there  was 
still  day.  The  success  with  the  skins  greatly  mollified  the  new 
captain,  who  declared  to  me  that  after  he  had  hanged  Smudge 
in  sight  of  his  own  shores,  he  should  "  feel  something  like  him 
self  again." 

We  passed  the  night  under  our  topsails,  standing  off  and  on, 
with  the  wind  steady,  but  light  at  the  southward.  Next  morn 
ing,  the  duty  of  the  ship  went  on  as  usual,  until  the  men  had 
breakfasted,  when  we  stood  again  into  the  bay.  This  time,  we 
hove-to  so  as  to  get  one  of  the  buoys,  when  we  dropped  the 
stream,  leaving  the  topsails  set.  We  then  hove  up  the  anchor 
securing  the  range  of  cable  that  was  bent  to  it.  Both  of  the 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHOEE.  243 

anchors,  and  their  ranges  of  cable,  were  thus  recovered;  the 
ends  of  the  last  being  entered  at  the  hawse-holes,  and  the 
pieces  spliced.  This  work  may  have  occupied  us  four  hours  ; 
after  which,  the  stream  anchor  was  hove  up,  catted  and  fished. 
Marble  then  ordered  a  whip  rove  at  the  fore-yard-arm. 

I  was  on  the  quarter-deck  when  this  command  was  suddenly 
given.  I  wished  to  remonstrate,  for  I  had  some  tolerably  ac 
curate  notions  of  legality,  and  the  rights  of  persons.  Still,  t 
did  not  like  to  say  any  thing ;  for  Captain  Marble's  eye  and 
manner  were  not  the  least  in  the  trifling  mood,  at  that  instant. 
The  whip  was  soon  rove,  and  the  men  stood  looking  aft,  in 
silent  expectation. 

"  Take  that  murdering  blackguard  forward,  fasten  his  arms 
behind  his  back,  place  him  on  the  third  gun,  and  wait  for  or 
ders,"  added  our  new  captain,  sternly. 

No  one  dared  hesitate  about  obeying  these  orders,  though  I 
could  see  that  one  or  two  of  the  lads  disliked  the  business. 

"  Surely,"  I  ventured  to  say,  in  a  low  voice,  "  you  are  not  in 
earnest,  Mr.  Marble !" 

"  Captain  Marble,  if  you  please,  Mr.  Wallingford.  I  am  now 
master  of  this  vessel,  and  you  are  her  chief  mate.  I  intend  to 
hang  your  friend  Smudge,  as  an  example  to  the  rest  of  the 
coast.  These  woods  are  full  of  eyes  at  this  moment ;  and  the 
sight  they'll  presently  see,  will  do  more  good  than  forty  mis 
sionaries,  and  threescore  and  ten  years  of  preaching.  Set  the 
fellow  up  on  the  gun,  men,  as  I  ordered.  This  is  the  way  to 
generalize  with  an  Indian." 

In  a  moment,  there  stood  the  hapless  wretch,  looking  about 
him  with  an  expression  that  denoted  the  consciousness  of  dan 
ger,  though  it  was  not  possible  he  could  comprehend  the  pre 
cise  mode  of  his  execution.  I  went  to  him,  and  pressed  his 
hand,  pointing  upward,  as  much  as  to  say  his  whole  trust  was 
now  in  the  Great  Spirit.  The  Indian  understood  me,  for  from 
that  instant  he  assumed  an  air  of  dignified  composure,  like  one 
every  way  prepared  to  meet  his  fate.  It  is  not  probable,  with 
his  habits,  that  he  saw  any  peculiar  hardship  in  his  own  case ; 


244  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

for  he  had,  doubtless,  sacrificed  many  a  prisoner  under  circum 
stances  of  less  exasperation  than  that  which  his  own  conduct 
had  provoked. 

"Let  two  of  the  'niggers'  take  a  turn  with  the  end  of  the 
whip  round  the  chap's  neck,"  said  Marble,  too  dignified  to  turn 
Jack  Ketch  in  person,  and  unwilling  to  set  any  of  the  white 
seamen  at  so  ungracious  an  office.  The  cook,  Joe,  and  another 
black,  soon  performed  this  revolting  duty,  from  the  odium  of 
uhich  a  sailor  seldom  altogether  escapes. 

I  now  perceived  Smudge  looking  upward,  seeming  to  com 
prehend  the  nature  of  the  fate  that  awaited  him.  The  deeply- 
seated  principle  within  him,  caused  a  dark  shadow  to  pass  over 
a  countenance  already  so  gloomy  and  wrinkled  by  suffering  and 
exposure ;  and  he  turned  his  look  wistfully  toward  Marble,  at 
whose  command  each  order  in  succession  had  been  obeyed. 
Our  new  captain  caught  that  gaze,  and  I  was,  for  a  single  mo 
ment,  in  hope  he  would  relent,  and  let  the  wretch  go.  But 
Marble  had  persuaded  himself  he  was  performing  a  great  act  of 
nautical  justice;  nor  was  he  aware,  himself,  how  much  he  was 
influenced  by  a  feeling  allied  to  vengeance. 

"  Sway  away  !"  he  called  out ;  and  Smudge  was  dangling  at 
the  yard-arm  in  a  few  seconds. 

A  block  of  wood  could  not  have  been  more  motionless  than 
the  body  of  this  savage,  after  one  quivering  shudder  of  suffering 
had  escaped  it.  There  it  hung,  like  a  jewel-block,  and  every 
sign  of  life  was  soon  taken  away.  In  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  a 
man  was  sent  up,  and,  cutting  the  rope,  the  body  fell,  with  a 
sharp  plunge,  into  the  water,  and  disappeared. 

At  a  later  day,  the  account  of  this  affair  found  its  way  into 
the  newspapers  at  home.  A  few  moralists  endeavored  to  throw 
some  doubts  over  the  legality  and  necessity  of  the  proceedings, 
pretending  that  more  evil  than  good  was  clone  to  the  cause  of 
sacred  justice  by  such  disregard  of  law  and  principles  ;  but  the 
feeling  of  trade,  and  the  security  of  ships  when  far  from  home, 
were  motives  too  powerful  to  be  put  down  by  the  still,  quiet  re 
monstrances  of  reason  and  rio-ht.  The  abuses  to  which  such 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 


24-5 


practices  would  be  likely  to  lead,  in  cases  in  which  one  of  the 
parties  constituted  himself  the  law,  the  judge,  and  the  execu 
tioner,  were  urged  in  vain  against  the  active  and  ever-stimula 
ting  incentive  of  a  love  of  gold.  Still,  I  knew  that  Marble 
wished  the  thing  undone  when  it  was  too  late,  it  being  idle  to 
think  of  quieting  the  suggestions  of  that  monitor  God  has  im 
planted  within  us,  by  the  meretricious  and  selfish  approbation 
of  those  who  judge  of  right  and  wrong  by  their  own  narrow 
standard  of  interest. 


2i6  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

1st  Lord. — "  Throca  movonsas,  cargo,  cargo,  cargo. 
All. — "Cargo,  cargo,  villianda  par  corbo,  cargo." 
Par. — "  O !  ransome,  ransotne : — Do  not  hide  mine  eyeB." 
l«t  Sold. — "Boskos  Thromuldo  boskos." 
far. — "  1  know  you  are  the  Muskos'  regiment, 

And  I  shall  lose  my  life  for  want  of  language." 

ALL'S  WELL  THAT  ENDS  WKLL. 

THE  Crisis  was  tacked  as  soon  as  the  body  of  Smudge  was 
cut  down,  and  she  moved  slowly,  her  crew  maintaining  a  melan 
choly  silence,  out  of  the  little  haven.  I  never  witnessed  stronger 
evidence  of  sadness  in  the  evolutions  of  a  vessel ;  the  slow  and 
stately  departure  resembling  that  of  mourners  leaving  the  grave 
on  which  they  had  just  heard  the  fall  of  the  clod.  Marble  told 
me  afterward  he  had  been  disposed  to  anchor,  and  remain  until 
the  body  of  poor  Captain  Williams  should  rise,  as  it  probably 
would  within  the  next  forty-eight  hours ;  but  the  dread  of  a 
necessity  of  sacrificing  more  of  the  natives  induced  him  to  quit 
the  fatal  spot,  without  paying  the  last  duties  to  our  worthy  old 
commander.  I  always  regretted  we  did  not  remain,  for  I  think 
no  Indian  would  have  come  near  us,  had  we  continued  in  the 
harbor  a  month. 

It  was  high  noon  when  the  ship  once  more  issued  into  the 
broad  bosom  of  the  Pacific.  The  wind  was  at  south-cast,  and 
as  we  drew  off  from  the  land,  it  came  fresh  and  steady.  About 
two,  having  an  offing  of  ten  or  twelve  miles,  orders  were  issued 
to  set  all  the  larboard  studding-sails,  and  we  stood  to  the  south 
ward  and  westward  under  a  press  of  canvas.  Every  one  saw  in 
this  change  a  determination  to  quit  the  coast ;  nor  did  we  regret 
the  measure,  for  our  trade  had  been  quite  successful,  down  to 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  247 

the  moment  of  the  seizure,  but  could  hardly  be  prosperous  after 
what  had  passed.  I  had  not  been  consulted  in  the  affair  at  all, 
but  the  second  mate  having  the  watch,  I  was  now  summoned  to 
the  cabin,  and  let  into  the  secret  of  our  future  movements.  I 
found  Marble  seated  at  the  cabin  table,  with  Captain  Williams' 
writing-desk  open  before  him,  and  sundry  papers  under  exam 
ination. 

"  Take  a  seat,  Mr.  Wallingford,"  said  the  new  master,  with 
a  dignity  and  manner  suited  to  the  occasion.  "  I  have  just 
been  overhauling  the  old  man's  instructions  from  the  owners, 
and  find  I  have  done  right  in  leaving  these  hang-gallows  rascals 
to  themselves,  and  shaping  our  course  to  the  next  point  of  desti 
nation.  As  it  is,  the  ship  has  done  surprisingly  well.  There 
are  $67,370  good  Spaniards  down  in  the  run,  and  that  for  goods 
which  I  see  are  invoiced  at  just  $26,240  ;  and  when  you  consider 
that  no  duties,  port-charges,  or  commissions  are  to  be  deducted, 
but  that  the  dollars  under  our  feet  are  all  our  own,  without  any 
drawbacks,  I  call  the  operation  a  good  one.  Then  that  blunder 
ing  through  the  Straits,  though  it  must  never  be  talked  of  in  any 
other  light  than  a  bold  push  for  a  quick  passage,  did  us  a  won 
derful  deal  of  good,  shoving  us  ahead  near  a  month  in  time.  It 
has  put  us  so  much  ahead  of  our  calculations,  indeed,  that  I 
would  cruise  for  Frenchmen  for  five  or  six  weeks,  were  there  the 
least  probability  that  one  of  the  chaps  was  to  the  westward  of 
the  Horn.  Such  not  being  the  fact,  however,  and  there  still 
being  a  very  long  road  before  us,  I  have  thought  it  best  to  push 
for  the  next  point  of  destination.  Read  that  page  of  the  owners' 
idees,  Mr.  Wallingford,  and  you  will  get  their  advice  for  just 
such  a  situation  as  that  in  which  we  find  ourselves." 

The  passage  pointed  out  by  Captain  Marble  was  somewhat 
parenthetical,  and  was  simply  intended  to  aid  Captain  Williams, 
in  the  event  of  his  not  being  able  to  accomplish  the  other  ob 
jects  of  his  voyage.  It  had  a  place  in  the  instructions,  indeed, 
solely  on  account  of  a  suggestion  of  Marble's  himself,  the  project 
being  one  of  those  favorite  schemes  of  the  mate,  that  men  some 
times  maintain  through  thick  or  thin,  until  they  get  to  be  ruling 


248  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

thoughts.  On  Captain  Williams  it  had  not  weighed  a  feather; 
his  intention  having  been  to  proceed  to  the  Sandwich  Islands 
for  sandal  wood,  which  was  the  course  then  usually  pursued  by 
north-west  traders,  after  quitting  the  coast.  The  parenthetical 
project,  howeverz  was  to  touch  at  the  last  island,  procure  a  few 
divers,  and  proceed  in  quest  of  certain  islands  where  it  was  sup 
posed  the  pearl  fishery  would  succeed.  Our  ship  was  alto 
gether  too  large,  and  every  way  too  expensive,  to  be  risked  in 
such  an  adventure,  and  so  I  told  the  ex-mate  without  any  scru 
ple.  But  this  fishery  was  a  "fixed  idea."  a  quick  road  to 
wealth,  in  the  new  captain's  mind,  and  finding  it  in  the  instruc 
tions,  though  simply  as  a  contingent  course,  he  was  inclined  to 
regard  it  as  the  great  object  of  the  voyage.  Such  it  was  in  his 
eyes,  and  such  it  ought  to  be,  as  he  imagined,  in  those  of  the 
owners. 

Marble  had  excellent  qualities  in  his  way,  but  he  was  not  fit 
to  command  a  ship.  No  man  could  stow  her  better,  fit  her 
better,  sail  her  better,  take  better  care  of  her  in  heavy  weather, 
or  navigate  her  better;  and  yet  he  wanted  the  judgment  neces 
sary  to  manage  the  property  that  must  be  committed  to  his 
care,  and  he  had  no  more  ideas  of  commercial  thrift  than  if  he 
had  never  been  employed  in  any  of  the  concerns  of  commerce. 
This  was,  in  truth,  the  reason  he  had  never  risen  any  higher  in 
his  profession,  the  mercantile  instinct — one  of  the  liveliest  and 
most  acute  to  be  found  in  natural  history — forewarning  his  dif 
ferent  owners  that  he  was  already  in  the  berth  nature  and  art 
had  best  qualified  him  to  fill.  It  is  wonderful  how  acute  even 
dull  men  get  to  be,  on  the  subject  of  money ! 

I  own  my  judgment,  such  as  it  was  at  nineteen,  was  opposed 
to  the  opinion  of  the  captain.  I  could  see  that  the  contingency 
contemplated  by  the  instructions  had  not  arisen,  and  that  we 
should  be  acting  more  in  conformity  with  the  wishes  of  the 
owners,  by  proceeding  to  the  Sandwich  Islands  in  quest  of 
sandal  wood,  and  thence  to  China,  after  a  cargo  of  teas.  Marble 
was  not  to  be  convinced,  however,  though  I  think  my  argu 
ments  shook  him  a  little.  What  might  have  been  the  result,  it 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  249 

is  difficult  to  say,  had  not  chance  befriended  the  views  of  each 
of  ns,  respectively.  It  is  proper  to  add,  that  Marble  availed 
himself  of  this  opportunity  to  promote  Talcott,  who  was  brought 
into  the  cabin  as  third  mate.  I  rejoiced  greatly  in  this  addition 
to  our  little  circle  on  the  quarter-deck,  Talcott  being  a  man  of 
education,  much  nearer  my  own  age  than  the  two  others,  and 
united  to  me  by  unusual  ties  since  our  common  adventure  in 
the  prize.  I  was  not  only  rejoiced  to  be  able  to  associate  with 
him,  but  to  hear  him  called  Mr.  Talcott. 

"We  had  a  long,  but  mild  passage  to  the  Sandwich  Islands. 
This  group  occupied  a  very  different  place,  in  the  opinions  of 
the  world,  in  the  year  1 800,  from  that  it  fills  to-day.  Still  it 
had  made  some  small  advances  in  civilization  since  the  time  of 
Cook.  I  am  told  there  are  churches,  taverns,  billiard  tables, 
and  stone  dwellings  in  these  islands  now,  which  are  fast  turning 
to  the  Christian  religion,  and  obtaining  the  medley  of  conven 
ience,  security,  vice,  roguery,  law,  and  comfort,  that  is  known  as 
civilization.  It  was  far  different  then,  our  reception  being  by 
men  who  were  but  a  small  degree  removed  from  savages. 
Among  those  who  first  came  on  board  us,  however,  was  the 
master  of  an  American  brig,  belonging  to  Boston,  whose  vessel 
had  got  on  a  reef,  and  bilged.  He  intended  to  remain  by  the 
wreck,  but  wished  to  dispose  of  a  considerable  amount  of  sandal 
wood  that  was  still  in  his  vessel,  and  for  the  safety  of  which  he 
was  under  great  concern,  as  the  first  gale  of  wind  might  scatter 
it  to  the  winds  of  the  ocean.  If  he  could  obtain  a  fresh  stock 
of  goods  to  trade  on,  he  proposed  remaining  on  the  islands  until 
another  vessel  belonging  to  the  same  owners,  which  was  expect 
ed  in  a  few  months,  should  arrive,  on  board  which  vessel  he  in 
tended  to  embark  with  every  thing  he  could  save  from  the 
wreck,  and  such  wood  as  he  could  purchase  in  the  interim. 
Captain  Marble  rubbed  his  hands  with  delight,  when  he  returned 
from  a  visit  to  the  wreck,  his  arrangements  all  completed. 

"  Luck  is  with  us,  Master  Miles,"  he  said,  "  and  we'll  be  off 
for  them  pearl  fisheries  next  week.  I  have  bought  all  the  sandal 
wood  in  the  wreck,  paying  in  trumpery,  and  at  prices  only 
11* 


250  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

about  double  Indian  trade,  and  we  will  heave  up,  and  carry  the 
ship  round  to  the  wreck,  and  begin  to  take  in  this  afternoon. 
There  is  capital  holding-ground  inside  the  reef,  and  the  ship  can 
be  safely  carried  within  a  hundred  fathoms  of  her  cargo  !" 

All  turned  out  as  Marble  had  hoped  and  predicted,  and  the 
Crisis  was  back  at  her  anchorage  in  front  of  the  village,  which 
is  now  the  city  of  Honolulu,  within  the  week  named.  We  got 
our  supply  of  hogs,  and  having  procured  four  of  the  best  divers 
going,  we  sailed  in  quest  of  Captain  Marble's  Eldorado  of  pearls, 
I  was  less  opposed  to  the  scheme  than  I  had  been,  for  we  were 
now  so  much  in  advance  of  our  time,  that  we  could  afford  to 
pass  a  few  weeks  among  the  islands,  previously  to  sailing  for 
China.  Our  course  was  to  the  south-west,  crossing  the  line  in 
about  170°  west  longitude.  There  was  a  clear  sea  for  more  than 
a  fortnight  while  we  were  near  the  equator,  the  ship  making  but 
little  progress.  Glad  enough  was  I  to  hear  the  order  given  to 
turn  more  to  the  northward  again,  for  the  heat  was  oppressive, 
and  this  was  inclining  toward  our  route  to  China.  We  had  been 
out  from  Owyhee,  as  it  was  then  usual  to  call  the  island  where 
Cook  was  killed — Hawaii,  as  it  is  called  to-day — we  had  been 
out  from  this  island  about  a  month,  when  Marble  came  up  to 
me  one  fine  moonlight  evening,  in  my  watch,  rubbing  his  hands, 
as  was  his  custom  when  in  good-humor,  and  broke  out  as  fol 
lows  : — 

"  I'll  tell  you  what,  Miles,"  he  said,  "  you  and  I  have  been 
salted  down  by  Providence  for  something  more  than  common  ! 
Just  look  back  at  all  our  adventures  in  the  last  three  years,  and 
see  what  they  come  to.  Firstly,  there  was  shipwreck  over  here 
on  the  coast  of  Madagascar,"  jerking  his  thumb  over  a  shoulder 
in  a  manner  that  was  intended  to  indicate  about  two  hundred 
degrees  of  longitude,  that  being  somewhat  near  our  present  dis 
tance  from  the  place  he  mentioned,  in  an  air-line;  "then  followed 
the  boat  business  under  the  Isle  of  Bourbon,  and  the  affair  with 
the  privateer  off  Guadaloupe.  Well,  as  if  that  wern't  enough, 
we  ship  together  again  in  this  vessel,  and  a  time  we  had  of  it 
with  the  French  letter-of-marque.  After  that,  a  devil  of  a  pas- 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  '2ul 

sage  we  made  of  it  through  the  Straits  of  Magellan.  Then  came 
the  melancholy  loss  of  Captain  Williams,  and  all  that  business ; 
after  which  we  got  the  sandal  wood  out  of  the  wreck,  which  I 
consider  the  luckiest  transaction  of  all." 

"  I  hope  yon  don't  set  down  the  loss  of  Captain  Williams 
among  our  luck,  sir !" 

"  Not  I,  but  the  stuff  is  all  logged  together,  you  know ;  and 
in  overhauling  for  one  idee,  in  such  a  mess,  a  fellow  is  apt  to 
get  hold  of  another.  As  I  was  saying,  we  have  been  amazingly 
lucky,  and  I  expect  nothing  else  but  we  shall  discover  an  island 
yet !" 

"  Can  that  be  of  any  great  service  to  us  ?  There  are  so  many 
owners  ready  to  start  up  and  claim  such  discoveries,  that  I  ques 
tion  if  it  would  do  us  any  great  benefit." 

"  Let  them  start  up — who  cares  for  them  ?  We'll  have  the 
christening,  and  that's  half  the  battle.  Marble  Land,  Walling- 
ford  Bay,  Talcott  Hills,  and  Cape  Crisis,  would  look  well  on  a 
chart^-ha!  Miles?" 

"  I  have  no  objection  to  see  it,  sir." 

"  Land  ho  !"  cried  the  look-out  on  the  forecastle. 

"  There  it  is  now,  by  George !"  cried  Marble,  springing  for 
ward.  "  I  overhauled  the  chart  half  an  hour  since,  and  there 
ought  to  be  nothing  within  six  hundred  miles  of  us." 

There  it  was,  sure  enough,  and  much  nearer  to  us  than  was 
at  all  desirable.  So  near,  indeed,  that  the  wash  of  the  breakers 
on  the  reef  that  so  generally  lies  off  from  the  low  coral  islands 
of  the  Pacific,  was  distinctly  audible  from  the  ship.  The  moon 
gave  a  strong  light,  it  is  true,  and  the  night  was  soft  and  balmy, 
but  the  air,  which  was  very  light,  blew  directly  toward  this  reef, 
and  then  there  were  always  currents  to  apprehend.  We  sounded, 
but  got  no  bottom. 

"  Ay,  this  is  one  of  your  coral  reefs,  where  a  man  goes  on  the 
rocks  from  off  soundings,  at  a  single  jump,"  muttered  Marble, 
ordering  the  ship  brought  by  the  wind  on  the  best  tack  to  haul 
off-shore.  "  No  notice,  and  a  wreck.  As  for  anchoring  in  such 
a  place,  a  fellow  might  as  well  run  a  line  out  to  Japan ;  and, 


252  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

could  an  anchor  find  the  bottom,  the  cable  would  have  some 
such  berth  as  a  man  who  slept  in  a  hammock  filled  with  open 
razors." 

All  this  was  true  enough ;  and  we  watched  the  effect  of  our 
change  of  course  with  the  greatest  anxiety.  All  hands  were 
called,  and  the  men  were  stationed  in  readiness  to  work  tho 
ship.  But  a  few  minutes  satisfied  us  the  hope  of  clawing  off 
in  so  light  an  air  was  to  the  last  degree  vain.  The  vessel  set  iu 
fast  toward  the  reef,  the  breakers  on  which  now  became  appar 
ent,  even  by  the  light  of  the  moon,  the  certain  sign  they  were 
fearfully  near. 

This  was  one  of  those  moments  in  which  Marble  could  show 
himself  to  be  a  true  man.  He  was  perfectly  calm  and  self-pos 
sessed  ;  and  stood  on  the  taffrail,  giving  his  orders,  with  a  dis 
tinctness  and  precision  I  had  never  seen  surpassed.  I  was  kept 
in  the  chains,  myself,  to  watch  the  casts  of  the  lead.  "  No  bot 
tom,"  however,  was  the  never-failing  report ;  nor  was  any  bot 
tom  expected  ;  it  being  known  that  these  reefs  were  quite  perpen 
dicular  on  their  seaward  side.  The  captain  called  out  to  me, 
from  time  to  time,  to  be  active  and  vigilant,  as  our  set  in-shore 
was  uncontrollable,  and  the  boats,  if  in  the  water,  as  the  launch 
could  not  be  for  twenty  minutes,  would  be  altogether  useless. 
I  proposed  to  lower  the  yawl,  and  to  pull  to  leeward,  to  try  the 
soundings,  in  order  to  ascertain  if  it  were  not  possible  to  find 
bottom  at  some  point  short  of  the  reef,  on  which  we  should 
hopelessly  be  set,  unless  checked  by  some  such  means,  in  the 
course  of  the  next  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes. 

"  Do  it  at  once,  sir,"  cried  Marble.  "  The  thought  is  a  good 
one,  and  does  you  credit,  Mr.  Wallingford." 

I  left  the  ship  in  less  than  five  minutes,  and  pulled  off,  under 
the  ship's  lee-bow,  knowing  that  tacking  or  waring  would  be 
out  of  the  question,  under  the  circumstances.  I  stood  up  in 
the  stem-sheets,  and  made  constant  casts  with  the  hand-lead, 
with  a  short  line,  however,  as  the  boat  went  foaming  through 
the  water.  The  reef  was  now  plainly  in  sight,  and  I  could  see, 
as  well  as  hoar,  the  long,  formidable  ground-swells  of  the  Pa 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  253 

sific,  while,  fetching  up  against  these  solid  barriers,  they  rolled 
over,  broke,  and  went  beyond  the  rocks  in  angry  froth.  At 
this  perilous  instant,  when  I  would  not  have  given  the  poorest 
acre  of  Clawbonny  to  have  been  the  owner  of  the  Crisis,  I  saw 
i  spot  to  leeward  that  was  comparatively  still,  or  in  which  tho 
water  did  not  break.  It  was  not  fifty  fathoms  from  me  when 
first  discovered,  and  toward  it  I  steered,  animating  the  men  to 
redoubled  exertions.  "We  were  in  this  narrow  belt  of  smooth 
water,  as  it  might  be,  in  an  instant,  and  the  current  sucked  the 
boat  through  it  so  fast  as  to  allow  time  to  make  but  a  single  cast 
of  the  lead.  I  got  bottom  ;  but  it  was  in  six  fathoms ! 

The  boat  was  turned,  and  headed  out  again,  as  if  life  and 
death  depended  on  the  result.  The  ship  was  fortunately  with 
in  sound  of  the  voice,  steering  still  by  the  wind,  though  setting 
three  feet  toward  the  reef,  for  one  made  in  the  desired  direction ; 
and  I  hailed. 

"  What  now,  Mr.  Wallingford  ?"  demanded  Marble,  as  calmly 
as  if  anchored  near  a  wharf  at  home. 

"  Do  you  see  the  boat,  sir  ?" 

"  Quite  plainly ; — God  knows  you  are  near  enough  to  be 
seen." 

"  Has  the  ship  steerage-way  on  her,  Captain  Marble?" 

"  Just  that,  and  nothing  more  to  boast  of." 

"  Then  ask  no  questions ;  but  try  to  follow  the  boat.  It  is 
the  only  hope ;  and  it  may  succeed." 

I  got  no  answer;  but  I  heard  the  deep,  authoritative  voice 
of  Marble,  ordering  the  "  helm  up,"  and  the  men  "  to  man  the 
weather-braces."  I  could  scarcely  breathe,  while  I  stood  look 
ing  at  the  ship's  bows,  as  they  fell  off,  and  noted  her  slow 
progress  ahead.  Her  speed  increased  sensibly,  however,  and  I 
kept  the  boat  far  enough  to  windward  to  give  the  vessel  room 
fairly  to  enter  the  pass.  At  the  proper  moment,  we  moved 
toward  the  inlet,  the  Crisis  keeping  more  and  more  away,  in  or 
der  to  follow.  I  was  soon  in  the  pass  itself,  the  water  breaking 
within  ten  fathoms  on  each  side  of  me,  sending  portions  of  its 
fuaiu  to  tho  very  blades  of  our  oars ;  but  tho  lead  still  gave  me 


254  AFLOAT      AND     ASHORE. 

six  fathoms.  At  the  next  cast,  I  got  ten ;  and  then  the  ship 
was  at  the  point  where  I  had  just  before  found  six.  The 
breakers  were  roaring  behind  me,  and  I  pulled  round,  and 
waited  for  the  ship,  steering  to  the  southward,  sounding  as  I 
went.  1  could  see  that  the  ship  hauled  up,  and  that  I  was 
already  behind  the  reef.  Straining  my  voice,  I  now  called 
out — 

"  Anchor,  sir — bear  a  hand  and  anchor,  as  soon  as  possi 
ble." 

Not  a  word  came  back ;  but  up  went  the  courses,  followed 
by  the  topgallant-sails,  after  which  down  went  the  jib.  I  heard 
the  fore  and  main-topsail  halyards  overhauling  themselves,  spite 
of  the  roar  of  the  breakers,  and  then  the  ship  luffed  into  the 
win/L  Glad  enough  was  I  to  hear  the  heavy  plunge  of  one  of 
the  bowers,  as  it  fell  from  the  cat-head  into  the  water.  Even 
then  I  remained  stationary,  to  note  the  result.  The  ship  took 
her  scope  of  cable  freely,  after  which  I  observed  that  she  was 
brought  up.  The  next  moment  I  was  on  board  her. 

"  A  close  shave,  Mr.  Wallingford,"  said  Marble,  giving  me  a 
squeeze  of  the  hand,  that  said  more  for  his  feelings  than  any 
words  such  a  being  could  utter ;  "  and  many  thanks  for  your 
piloting.  Is  not  that  land  I  see,  away  here  to  leeward — more 
to  the  westward,  boy  ?" 

"  It  is,  sir,  beyond  a  doubt.  It  must  be  one  of  the  coral 
islands ;  and  this  is  the  reef  that  usually  lies  to  seaward  from 
them.  There  is  the  appearance  of  trees  ashore  !" 

"  It 's  a  discovery,  youngster,  and  will  make  us  all  great 
names !  Remember,  this  passage  I  call  '  Miles's  Inlet ;'  and  to 
the  reef,  I  give  the  name  of  '  Yawl  Reef.' " 

I  could  not  smile  at  this  touch  of  Marble's  vanity,  for  concern 
left  me  no  thoughts  but  for  the  ship.  The  weather  was  now 
mild  and  the  bay  smooth ;  the  night  was  fine,  and  it  might  be 
of  the  last  importance  to  us  to  know  something  more  of  our 
situation.  The  cable  might  chafe  off,  probably  would,  so  near 
a  coral  reef;  and  I  offered  to  pull  in  toward  the  land,  sounding 
as  I  went,  and  otherwise  gaining  the  knowledge  that  might  be 


AFLOAT     AND     ASHORE.  255 

necessary  to  our  security.  After  a  little  reflection,  the  captain 
consented,  ordering  me  to  take  provisions  and  water  in  the  boat 
as  the  duty  might  detain  me  until  morning. 

I  found  the  bay  between  the  reef  and  the  island  about  a  league 
in  breadth,  and  across  its  entire  width  the  soundings  did  not 
vary  much  from  ten  fathoms.  The  outer  barrier  of  rock,  on 
which  the  sea  broke,  appeared  to  be  an  advanced  wall,  that  the 
indefatigable  little  insects  had  erected,  as  it  might  be,  in  defence 
of  their  island,  which  had  probably  been  raised  from  the  depths 
of  the  ocean,  a  century  or  two  ago,  by  some  of  their  own  ances 
tors.  The  gigantic  works  completed  by  these  little  aquatic 
animals,  are  well  known  to  navigators,  and  give  us  some  tolera 
bly  accurate  notions  of  the  manner  in  which  the  face  of  the 
globe  has  been  made  to  undergo  some  of  its  alterations.  I  found 
the  land  easy  of  access,  low,  wooded,  and  without  any  sign  of 
habitation. 

The  night  was  so  fine  that  I  ventured  inland,  and  after 
walking  more  than  a  mile,  most  of  the  distance  in  a  grove  of 
cocoa  and  bananas,  I  came  to  the  basin  of  water  that  is  usually 
found  in  the  islands  of  this  particular  formation.  The  inlet 
from  the  sea  was  at  no  great  distance,  and  I  sent  one  of  the 
men  back  to  the  yawl,  with  orders  for  the  boat  to  proceed 
thither.  I  next  sounded  the  inlet  and  the  bay,  and  found  every 
where  a  sandy  bottom,  and  about  ten  fathoms  of  water.  As  I 
expected,  the  shoalest  spot  was  the  inlet,  but  in  this,  which  I 
sounded  thoroughly,  there  was  nowhere  less  than  five.  It  was 
now  midnight ;  and  I  should  have  remained  on  the  island  un 
til  morning,  to  make  further  surveys  by  daylight,  had  we  not 
seen  the  ship  under  her  canvas,  and  so  much  nearer  to  us  than 
we  had  supposed  possible,  as  to  satisfy  me  she  was  drifting  in 
fast  toward  the  land.  Of  course  I  did  not  hesitate,  but  pulled 
on  board. 

it  was  as  1  suspected.  The  rocks  so  near  the  reef  had  chafed 
oft'  the  cable ;  the  ship  struck  adrift,  and  Marble  was  under  his 
canvas  waiting  my  return,  in  order  to  ascertain  where  he  might 
anchor  anew.  I  told  him  of  the  lagoon  in  the  centre  of  the 


256  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

island,  and  gave  him  every  assurance  of  there  being  water 
enough  to  carry  in  any  craft  that  floats.  My  reputation  was 
up,  in  consequence  of  the  manner  the  ship  had  been  taken 
through  the  first  inlet,  and  I  was  ordered  to  conn  her  into  this 
new  haven. 

The  task  was  not  difficult.  The  lightness  of  the  wind,  and 
uncertainty  about  the  currents  proving  the  only  source  of  em 
barrassment,  I  succeeded  in  finding  the  passage,  after  a  short 
trial ;  and  sending  the  boat  ahead,  under  Talcott,  as  an  additional 
precaution,  soon  had  the  Crisis  floating  in  the  very  centre  of  this 
natural  dock.  Sail  was  shortened  as  we  came  in,  and  the  ship 
made  a  flying  moor ;  after  which  we  lay  as  securely,  as  if  actu 
ally  in  some  basin  wrought  by  art.  It  is  my  opinion,  the  vessel 
would  have  ridden  out  the  hardest  gale,  or  any  thing  short  of  a 
hurricane,  at  single  anchor,  in  that  place.  The  sense  of  security 
was  now  so  strong  upon  us,  that  we  rolled  up  our  canvas,  set  an 
anchor-watch  of  only  one  man,  and  turned  in. 

I  never  laid  my  head  down,  on  board  ship,  with  greater  satis 
faction  than  I  did  that  night.  Let  the  truth  be  frankly  stated. 
I  was  perfectly  satisfied  with  myself.  It  was  owing  to  my  de 
cision  and  vigilance  that  the  ship  was  saved,  when  outside  the 
reef,  out  of  all  question ;  and  I  think  she  would  have  been  lost 
after  she  had  struck  adrift,  had  I  not  discovered  her  present 
berth.  There  she  was,  however,  with  land  virtually  all  round 
her,  a  good  bottom,  plenty  of  water,  and  well  moored.  As  I 
have  said  already,  she  could  not  be  better  secured  in  an  artificial 
dock.  In  the  midst  of  the  Pacific,  away  from  all  custom-house 
officers,  in  a  recently  discovered  and  uninhabited  island,  there 
was  nothing  to  fear.  Men  sleep  soundly  in  such  circumstances, 
and  I  should  have  been  in  a  deep  slumber  in  a  minute  after  I 
was  in  my  berth,  had  not  Marble's  conversation  kept  me  awake, 
quite  unwillingly  on  my  part,  for  five  minutes.  His  state-room 
door  was  open,  and  through  it,  the  following  discourse  was 
held. 

"  I  think,  on  the  whole,"  commenced  the  captain,  "  it  will  bo 
better  to  generalize  a  little  more" — this  was  a  favorite  expres- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  257 

sion  of  the  ex-mate's,  and  one  lie  often  used  without  exactly 
knowing  its  application  himself.  "  Yes,  to  generalize  a  little 
more ;  it  shall  be  Marble  Land,  Wallingford  Bay,  Yawl  Reef, 
Talcott  Inlet,  Miles's  Anchorage — and  a  d — d  bad  anchorage  it 
was,  Miles ;  but  never  mind,  we  must  take  the  good  with  the 
bad  in  this  wicked  world." 

"  Very  true,  sir ;  but,  as  for  taking  that  anchorage,  you  must 
excuse  me,  as  I  shall  never  take  it  again." 

"  Perhaps  not.  Well,  this  is  what  I  call  comfort — ha  !  Tai- 
cott  ?  Is  Talcott  asleep,  Miles  ?" 

"  He  and  the  second  mate  are  hard  at  it,  sir — full  and  by,  and 
going  ten  knots,"  I  muttered,  wishing  my  tormentor  in  Japan, 
at  the  moment. 

"  Ay ;  they  are  rackers  at  a  sleep  !  I  say,  Miles,  such  a  dis 
covery  as  this  will  make  a  man's  fortune !  The  world  gener 
alizes  in  discoveries,  altogether,  making  no  great  matter  of 
distinction  between  your  Columbuses,  Cooks,  or  Marbles.  An 
island  is  an  island,  and  he  who  first  discovers  it,  has  the  credit. 
Poor  Captain  Williams !  he  would  have  sailed  this  ship  for  a 
whole  generation,  and  never  found  any  thing  in  the  way  of 
novelty." 

"  Except  the  Straits,"  I  muttered,  very  indistinctly,  breathing 
deep  and  hard. 

"  Ay,  that  was  an  affair !  Hadn't  you  and  I  been  aboard,  the 
ship  never  would  have  done  that.  We  are  the  very  ofFspnng 
of  luck  !  There  was  the  affair  of  the  wreck  off  Madagascar — 
there  are  bloody  currents  in  the  Pacific,  too,  I  find,  Miles." 

"  Yes,  sir — hard-a-weather" — 

"  The  fellow's  dreaming.  One  word,  boy,  before  you  cut 
loose  from  all  reason  and  reflection.  Don't  you  think  it  would 
be  a  capital  idea  to  poke  in  a  little  patriotism  among  the  names! 
patriotism  goes  so  far  in  our  part  of  the  world.  Congress  Rocks 
would  be  a  good  title  for  the  highest  part  of  the  reef,  and  Wash 
ington  Sands  would  do  for  the  landing  you  told  me  of.  Wash 
ington  should  have  a  finger  in  the  pie." 

"  Crust  isn't  down,  sir." 


258  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

"  The  fellow's  off,  and  I  may  as  well  follow,  though  it  is  not 
easy  to  sleep  on  the  honor  of  a  discovery  like  this.  Good  night, 
Miles !" 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir !" 

Such  was  the  account  Marble  afterward  gave  me  of  the  ter 
mination  of  the  dialogue.  Sleep,  sleep,  sleep  !  Never  did  men 
enjoy  their  rest  more  than  we  did  for  the  next  five  hours,  the 
ship  being  as  silent  as  a  church  on  a  week  day,  during  the 
whole  time.  For  myself,  I  can  safely  say  I  heard  nothing,  or 
knew  nothing,  until  I  was  awakened  by  a  violent  shake  of  tho 
shoulder.  Supposing  myself  to  have  been  aroused  for  an  or 
dinary  watch  at  sea,  I  was  erect  in  an  instant,  and  found  the 
sun's  rays  streaming  into  my  face  through  the  cabin  windows. 
This  prevented  me  for  a  moment  from  seeing  that  I  had  been 
disturbed  by  Captain  Marble  himself.  The  latter  waited  until  he 
perceived  I  could  understand  him,  and  then  he  said  in  a  grave, 
meaning  manner — 

"  Miles,  there  is  a  mutiny  in  the  ship  !  Do  you  understand 
me,  Mr.  Wallingford  ? — a  bloody  mutiny  !" 

"  A  mutiny,  Captain  Marble  !  You  confound  me,  sir — I  had 
thought  our  people  perfectly  satisfied." 

"  Umph !  one  never  knows  whether  the  copper  will  come  up 
head  or  tail.  I  thought  when  I  turned  in  last  night,  it  was  to 
take  the  surest  nap  I  ever  tasted  afloat ;  and  here  I  awake,  and 
find  a  mutiny !" 

I  was  on  my  feet  and  dressing  in  an  instant,  as  a  matter  of 
course,  having  first  gone  to  the  berths  of  the  two  other  mates, 
and  given  each  a  call. 

"  But  how  do  you  know  this,  Captain  Marble  ?"  I  resumed, 
as  soon  as  there  was  a  chance.  "  I  hear  no  disturbance,  and  the 
ship  is  just  where  we  left  her,"  glancing  through  the  cabin  win 
dows  ;  "  I  think  you  must  be  mistaken,  sir." 

"Not  I.  I  turned  out  ten  minutes  since,  and  was  about  Ao  to 
on  deck  to  get  a  look  at  your  basin,  and  breathe  the  fresh  *ur, 
when  I  found  the  companion -doors  fastened,  precisely  Smudge- 
fashion.  I  suppose  you  will  allow  that  no  regular  ship's  com- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  250 

pany  would  dare  to  fasten  the  officers  below,  unless  they  intended 
to  seize  the  craft." 

"  This  is  very  extraordinary  !  Perhaps  some  accident  has  be 
fallen  the  doors.  Did  you  call  out,  sir  ?" 

"  I  thumped  like  an  admiral,  but  got  no  answer.  When  on 
the  point  of  trying  the  virtue  of  a  few  kicks,  I  overheard  a  low 
lauo-h  on  deck,  and  that  let  me  into  the  secret  of  the  state  of  the 

o 

nation  at  once.  I  suppose  you  will  all  admit,  gentlemen,  when 
sailors  laugh  at  their  officers,  as  well  as  batten  them  down,  that 
they  must  be  somewhat  near  a  state  of  mutiny." 

"  It  does  look  so,  indeed,  sir.  We  had  better  arm  the  moment 
we  are  dressed,  Captain  Marble." 

"  I  have  done  that  already,  and  you  will  each  find  loaded  pis 
tols  in  my  state-room." 

In  two  minutes  from  that  moment,  all  four  of  us  were  in  a  state 
for  action,  each  man  armed  with  a  brace  of  ship's  pistols,  well 
loaded  and  freshly  primed.  Marble  was  for  making  a  rush  at 
the  cabin  doors  at  once,  but  I  suggested  the  improbability  of 
the  steward  or  Neb's  being  engaged  in  any  plot  against  the  offi 
cers,  and  thought  it  might  be  well  to  ascertain  what  had  become 
of  the  two  blacks  before  we  commenced  operations.  Talcott 
proceeded  instantly  to  the  steerage  where  the  steward  slept,  and 
returned  in  a  moment  to  report  that  he  had  found  him  sound 
asleep  in  his  berth. 

Reinforced  by  this  man,  Captain  Marble  determined  to  make 
his  first  demonstration  by  way  of  the  forecastle,  where,  by  act 
ing  with  caution,  a  surprise  on  the  mutineers  might  be  effected. 
It  will  be  remembered  that  a  door  communicated  with  the  fore 
castle,  the  fastenings  of  which  were  on  the  side  of  "  'twixt 
decks."  Most  of  the  cargo  being  in  the  lower  hold  there  was 
no  difficulty  in  making  our  way  to  this  door,  where  we  stopped 
and  listened,  in  order  to  learn  the  state  of  things  on  the  other 
side  of  the '  bulkhead.  Marble  had  whispered  to  me,  as  we 
groped  our  way  along  in  the  sort  of  twilight  which  pervaded 
the  place,  the  hatches  being  on  and  secured,  that  "  them  bloody 
Philadelphians"  must  be  at  the  bottom  of  the  mischief,  as  our 


260  AFLOAT     AXD     ASHORE. 

old  crew  were  a  set  of  as  "  peaceable,  well-disposed  chaps  as 
ever  eat  duff  (dough)  out  of  a  kid." 

The  result  of  the  listening  was  to  produce  a  general  surprise. 
Out  of  all  question,  snoring,  and  that  on  no  small  scale  of  the 
gamut  of  Morpheus,  was  unequivocally  heard.  Marble  instantly 
opened  the  door,  and  we  entered  the  forecastle,  pistols  in  hand. 
Every  berth  had  its  tenant,  and  all  hands  were  asleep  !  Fatigue, 
and  the  habit  of  waiting  for  calls,  had  evidently  kept  each  of 
the  seamen  in  his  berth,  until  that  instant.  Contrary  to  usage, 
in  so  warm  a  climate,  the  scuttle  was  on,  and  a  trial  soon  told 
us  it  was  fast. 

"  To  generalize  on  this  idee,  Miles,"  exclaimed  the  captain, 
"  I  should  say  we  are  again  battened  down  by  savages !" 

"  It  does  indeed  look  so,  sir ;  and  yet  I  saw  no  sign  of  the 
island's  being  inhabited.  It  may  be  well.  Captain  Marble,  to 
muster  the  crew,  that  we  may  learn  who's  who." 

"  Quite  right — do  you  turn  'em  up,  and  send  'em  all  aft  into 
the  cabin,  where  we  have  more  daylight." 

I  set  about  awaking  the  people,  which  was  not  difficult,  and 
in  a  few  minutes  everybody  was  sent  aft.  Following  the  crew, 
it  was  soon  found  that  only  one  man  was  missing,  and  he  was 
the  very  individual  whom  we  had  left  on  deck,  when  we  had  all 
gone  below  on  securing  the  ship.  Every  soul  belonging  to  the 
vessel  was  present  in  the  cabin  or  steerage,  but  this  solitary  man 
— Philadelphians  and  all ! 

"  It  can  never  be  that  Harris  has  dared  to  trifle  with  us,"  said 
Talcott ;  "  and  yet  it  does  look  surprisingly  like  it." 

"  Quite  sure,  Miles,  that  Marble  Land  is  an  uninhabited  isl 
and  ?"  said  the  captain,  interrogatively. 

"  I  can  only  say,  sir,  that  it  is  as  much  like  all  the  other  un 
inhabited  coral  islands  we  have  passed,  as  one  pea  is  like  an 
other  ;  and  that  there  were  no  signs  of  a  living  being  visible  last 
night.  It  is  true  we  saw  but  little  of  the  island,  though  to  all 
appearances  there  was  not  much  to  see." 

"  Unluckily,  all  the  men's  arms  are  on  deck,  in  the  arm-chest, 
or  strapped  to  the  boom  or  masts.  There  is  no  use,  however, 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  261 

in  dillydallying  against  one  man ;  so  I  will  make  a  rumpus  that 
will  soon  bring  the  chap  to  his  bearings." 

Hereupon  Marble  made  what  he  called  a  rumpus  in  good 
earnest.  I  thought,  for  a  minute,  he  would  kick  the  cabin  doors 
down. 

"  'Andzomelee — 'andzomclee,"  said  some  one  on  deck.  "  Vat 
for  you  make  so  much  kick  ?" 

"  Who  the  devil  are  you  ?"  demanded  Marble,  kicking  harder 
than  ever.  "  Open  the  cabin  doors,  or  I'll  kick  them  down,  and 
yourself  overboard." 

"Monsieur — sair,"  rejoined  another  voice,  "  tenez — you  air 
prisonnier.  Comprenez-rous — prisonair,  eh  ?" 

"  These  are  Frenchmen,  Captain  Marble,"  I  exclaimed,  "  and 
we  are  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy." 

This  was  astounding  intelligence,  so  much  so,  that  all  had 
difficulty  in  believing  it.  A  further  parley,  however,  destroyed 
our  hopes,  little  by  little,  until  we  entered  into  an  arrangement 
with  those  on  deck,  to  the  following  effect :  I  was  to  be  per 
mitted  to  go  out,  in  order  to  ascertain  the  real  facts  of  our 
situation ;  while  Marble  and  the  remainder  of  the  crew  were  to 
remain  below,  passive,  until  the  result  should  be  reported.  Un 
der  this  arrangement,  one  of  the  cabin  doors  was  opened,  and  I 
sallied  forth. 

Astonishment  almost  deprived  me  of  the  power  of  vision, 
when  I  looked  around  me.  Quite  fifty  armed  white  men,  sail 
ors  and  natives  of  France,  by  their  air  and  language,  crowded 
round  me,  as  curious  to  sec  me,  as  I  could  possibly  be  to  see 
them.  In  their  midst  was  Harris,  who  approached  me  with  an 
embarrassed  and  sorrowful  air — 

"  I  know  I  deserve  death,  Mr.  Wallingford,"  this  man  com 
menced  ;  "  but  I  fell  asleep  after  so  much  work,  and  every  thing 
looking  so  safe  and  out-of-harm's-way  like ;  and  when  I  woke 
up,  I  found  these  people  on  board,  and  in  possession  of  the 
ship." 

"  In  the  name  of  wonder,  whence  come  they,  Harris  ?  Is  there 
a  French  ship  at  the  island  ?" 


•2b2  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

"  By  all  I  can  learn  and  see,  sir,  they  are  the  crew  of  a 
wrecked  letter-of-marque — an  Indiaman  of  some  sort  or  other ; 
and  finding  a  good  occasion  to  get  off  the  island,  and  make  a 
rich  prize,  they  have  helped  themselves  to  the  poor  Crisis — God 
bless  her !  say  I,  though  she  is  now  under  the  French  flag,  I 
suppose." 

I  looked  up  at  the  gaff,  and,  sure  enough,  there  was  flying 
the  tri-color! 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  203 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

"The  morning  air  blows  fresh  on  him  :n 

*  The  waves  dance  gladly  in  his  sight ; 

"  The  sea-birds  call,  and  wheel,  and  skim"— 

"  O,  blessed  morning  light  1" 

"He  doth  not  hear  their  joyous  call;  ho  sees 

"No  beauty  in  the  wave,  nor  feels  the  breeze." 

DANA. 

TRUTH  is,  truly,  often  stranger  than  fiction.  The  history  of 
the  circumstances  that  brought  us  into  the  hands  of  our  ene 
mies  will  fully  show  this.  La  Pauline  was  a  ship  of  six  hundred 
tons,  that  carried  letters  of  marque  from  the  French  government. 
She  sailed  from  France  a  few  weeks  after  we  had  left  London, 
bound  on  a  voyage  somewhat  similar  to  our  own,  though  neith 
er  sea-otter  skins,  sandal  wood,  nor  pearls,  formed  any  part  of 
her  contemplated  bargains.  Her  first  destination  was  the  French 
islands  off  Madagascar,  where  she  left  part  of  her  cargo,  and 
took  in  a  few  valuables  in  return.  Thence  she  proceeded  to  the 
Philippine  Islands,  passing  in  the  track  of  English  and  American 
traders,  capturing  two  of  the  former,  and  sinking  them  aftei 
taking  out  such  portions  of  cargo  as  suited  her  own  views. 
From  Manilla,  la  Pauline  shaped  her  course  for  the.  coast  of 
South  America,  intending  to  leave  certain  articles  brought  from 
France,  others  purchased  at  Bourbon,  the  Isle  of  France,  and 
the  Philippines,  and  divers  bales  and  boxes  found  in  the  holds 
of  her  prizes,  in  that  quarter  of  the  world,  in  exchange  for  the 
precious  metals.  In  effecting  all  this,  Monsieur  Le  Compte,  her 
commander,  relied,  firstly,  on  the  uncommon  sailing  of  his  ship  ; 
secondly,  on  his  own  uncommon  boldness  and  dexterity,  and, 
thirdly,  on  the  well-known  disposition  of  the  South  Americans 
to  smuggle.  Doubloons  and  dollars  taking  up  but  little  room, 


2P-1  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

he  reserved  most  of  the  interior  of  his  vessel,  after  his  traffic  on 
the  "  Main,*'  for  such  property  as  might  be  found  in  the  six  or 
eight  prizes  he  calculated,  with  certainty,  on  making,  after  get 
ting  to  the  eastward  of  the  Horn.  All  these  well-grounded  an 
ticipations  had  been  signally  realized  down  to  a  period  of  just 
three  months  to  a  day,  prior  to  our  own  arrival  at  this  unhappy 
island. 

On  the  night  of  the  day  just  mentioned,  la  Pauline,  without 
the  smallest  notice  of  the  vicinity  of  any  danger,  running  in  an 
easy  bowline,  and  without  much  sea,  had  brought  up  on  an 
other  part  of  the  very  reef  from  which  we  had  made  so  narrow 
an  escape.  The  rocks  being  coral,  there  was  little  hope  for 
her ;  and,  in  fact,  they  appeared  through  her  bottom  within  two 
hours  after  she  struck.  The  sugars  taken  in  at  the  Isle  of 
France,  as  a  ground  tier  of  ballast,  were  soon  rendered  of  doubt 
ful  value,  as  a  matter  of  course,  but  the  weather  remaining 
pleasant,  Captain  Le  Compte  succeeded,  by  means  of  his  boats, 
in  getting  every  thing  else  of  value  on  the  island,  and  forthwith 
set  about  breaking  up  the  wreck,  in  order  to  construct  a  craft 
that  might  carry  himself  and  his  people  to  some  civilized  land. 
Having  plenty  of  tools,  and  something  like  sixty  men,  great 
progress  had  been  made  in  the  work,  a  schooner  of  about  ninety 
tons  being  then  so  far  completed,  as  to  be  nearly  ready  to  be 
put  in  the  water.  Such  was  the  state  of  things,  when,  one  fine 
night,  we  arrived  in  the  manner  already  related.  The  French 
kept  constant  look-outs,  and  it  seems  we  were  seen,  a  distant 
speck  on  the  ocean,  just  as  the  sun  set,  while  the  low  trees  of 
the  island  eluded  our  vigilance.  By  the  aid  of  a  good  night- 
glass,  our  movements  were  watched,  and  a  boat  was  about  to  be 
sent  out  to  warn  us  of  our  danger,  when  we  passed  within  the 
reef.  Captain  Le  Compte  knew  the  chances  were  twenty  to 
one  that  we  were  an  enemy,  and  he  chose  to  lie  concealed  to 
watch  the  result.  As  soon  as  we  had  anchored  within  the  basin, 
and  silence  prevailed  in  the  ship,  he  manned  his  own  gig,  and 
pullod  with  muffled  oars  up  under  our  bows,  to  reconnoitre. 
Finding  every  thing  quiet,  ho  ventured  into  the  fore-chains,  and 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  265 

thence  on  deck,  accompanied  by  three  of  his  men.  He  found 
Harris  snoring,  with  his  back  supported  against  a  gun-carriage, 
and  immediately  secured  him.  Then  it  only  remained  to  close 
the  fore-scuttle  and  the  cabin  doors,  and  to  fasten  them,  to  have 
us  all  prisoners  below.  The  boat  was  sent  for  more  men,  and 
hours  before  any  of  us  in  the  berths  were  awake,  the  ship  had 
effectually  changed  masters.  Harris  told  our  story,  and  the  cap 
tors  knew  our  whole  history,  from  the  day  of  sailing  down  to 
the  present  time. 

Much  of  this  I  learned  in  subsequent  conversations  with  the 
French,  but  enough  of  it  was  related  to  me  then  to  let  me  un 
derstand  the  outlines  of  the  truth.  My  eyes  also  let  me  into 
many  secrets.  I  found  the  island,  by  daylight,  substantially  as 
I  had  supposed  it  to  be.  It  was  not  so  large,  however,  as  it  had 
seemed  to  me  by  the  aid  of  the  moon,  though  its  general  char 
acter  was  the  same.  The  basin  in  which  the  ship  lay  might 
have  covered  a  hundred  and  fifty  acres  in  extent,  the  belt  of 
land  which  encircled  it,  varying  in  breadth  from  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  to  three  miles.  Most  of  the  island  was  an  open  grove,  ly 
ing  at  an  elevation  of  from  ten  to  thirty  feet  above  the  ocean ; 
and  we  ascertained  there  were  several  springs  of  the  sweetest 
water  on  it.  Nature,  by  one  of  its  secret  processes,  had  covered 
the  earth  with  a  beautiful  short  grass ;  and  the  French,  with 
their  usual  attention  to  the  table,  and  their  commendable  activ 
ity,  had  already  several  materials  for  salads,  etc.,  in  full  growth. 
String-beans  might  be  had  for  asking,  and  petits  pois  were  liter 
ally  a  drug.  I  saw  the  tents  of  the  French  extending  in  a  line 
beneath  the  shades  of  the  trees ;  and  there  was  la  Petite  Pau 
line  (the  schooner)  on  her  ways,  actually  undergoing  the  process 
of  receiving  her  first  coat  of  paint.  As  for  la  Pauline  herself, 
I  could  just  discover  her  lower  mast-heads,  inclining  at  an  angle 
of  forty-five  degrees  from  the  perpendicular,  through  a  vista  in 
the  trees. 

There  was  a  good-humored  common  sense  in  all  the  proceed 
ings  of  Monsieur  Le  Compte,  that  showed  he  was  a  philosopher 
in  the  best  sense  of  the  word.  He  took  things  without  repin- 
12 


266  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

ing  himself,  and  wished  to  make  others  as  happy  as  circumstan 
ces  would  allow.  At  his  suggestion  I  invited  Marble  on  deck ; 
and  after  making  my  own  commander  acquainted  with  the  state 
of  the  facts,  we  both  listened  to  the  propositions  of  our  captor. 
Monsieur  Le  Compte,  all  his  officers,  and  not  a  few  of  his  men, 
had  been  prisoners,  some  time  or  other,  in  England,  and  there 
was  no  difficulty  in  carrying  on  the  negotiations  in  our  mother 
tongue. 

"  Votre  batiment — your  sheep,  shall  become  French — bien  en- 
tendu"  commenced  our  captor ;  "  vid  her  cargaison — rig,  and 
tout  cela.  Bien ;  cest  convenu.  I  shall  not  exact  rigueur  in 
mes  conditions.  If  you  shall  have  possible  to  take  your  sheep 
from  nous  autres  Francais — d 'accord.  Eveiy  man  for  himself 
et  sa  nation.  Zere  is  the  pavillion  Francais — and  zere  it  shall 
fly,  so  long  as  we  shall  not  help — mais — parole  d'honneur,  ze 
prize  come  cheep,  and  shall  be  sell  very  dear — entendez  vous  ? 
Bien.  Now,  sair,  I  shall  put  you  and  all  your  pe»ipl'  on  ze  island, 
vere  you  shall  take  our  place,  while  we  take  your  place.  Ze  arm 
shall  be  in  our  hand  while  ze  sheep  stay,  but  we  leave  you  fusils, 
poudre  et  tout  cela,  behind." 

This  was,  nearly  verbatim,  the  programme  of  capitulation  as 
laid  down  by  Captain  Le  Compte.  As  for  Marble,  ?t  was  not  in 
his  nature  to  acquiesce  in  such  an  arrangement  without  much 
cavilling  and  contention.  But  cui  bono?  We  were  in  Monsieur 
Le  Compte's  hands ;  and,  though  disposed  to  deal  very  hand 
somely  by  us,  it  was  easy  enough  to  see  he  was  determined  to 
make  his  own  conditions.  I  succeeded,  at  last,  in  making  Mar 
ble  understand  that  resistance  was  useless ;  and  he  submitted, 
though  with  some  such  grace  as  a  man  who  has  not  been  mes 
merized,  submits  to  an  amputation — those  who  have,  are  said 
rather  to  delight  in  the  amusement. 

O 

The  terms  of  the  capitulation — and  they  differed  but  little 
from  surrendering  at  discretion — were  no  sooner  agreed  to,  than 
our  people  were  ordered  into  the  forecastle,  whence  they  »vere 
transferred  to  the  boats,  in  readiness  to  be  sent  ashore.  All  the 
chests  and  private  effects  were  moved  out,  in  the  most  honora- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  267 

ble  manner,  and  sent  into  la  Pauline's  boats,  which  lay  prepared 
to  receive  them.  As  for  us  officers,  we  were  put  in  the  gig. 
Xeb  and  the  cabin  steward  being  charged  with  the  duty  of  look 
ing  after  our  private  property.  When  everybody,  the  blacks 
excepted,  was  in  a  boat,  we  shoved  off  and  proceeded  toward 
the  landing,  as  chop-fallen  and  melancholy  a  party  as  ever  took 
possession  of  a  newly-discovered  country.  Marble  aft'ccted  to 
whistle,  for  he  was  secretly  furious  at  the  nonchalance  manifested 
by  Captain  Le  Compte ;  but  I  detected  him  in  getting  parts  of 
Monny  Musk  and  the  Irish  Washerwoman,  into  the  same  strain. 
To  own  the  truth,  the  ex-mate  was  morally  much  disturbed.  As 
for  myself,  I  considered  the  affair  as  an  incident  of  war,  and 
cared  much  less. 

•'  Voilu,  mesrieun"  exclaimed  Monsieur  Le  Compte,  flourish 
ing  his  arms,  with  an  air  of  unsurpassed  generosity ;  "you  shall 
be  master  here,  so  soon  after  we  shall  go  away,  and  take  our 
leetl'  property  wid  us  !" 

"He's  d — d  generous,  Miles,"  growled  Marble,  in  my  ear. 
"  He'll  leave  us  the  island,  and  the  reef,  and  the  cocoa-nuts, 
when  he  has  gone  off  with  our  ship,  and  her  cargo.  I'll  bet  al. 
I'm  worth,  he  tows  off  his  bloody  schooner,  in  the  bargain." 

•'  There  is  no  use  in  complaining,  sir;  and  by  keeping  on  gooc. 
terms  with  the  French,  we  may  fare  the  better." 

The  truth  of  this  was  soon  apparent.  Captain  Le  Compte 
invited  us  to  share  his  breakfast,  and  we  repaired  to  the  tent 
of  the  French  officers,  with  that  purpose.  In  the  mean  time, 
the  French  sailors  were  transferring  the  few  articles  they  intend 
ed  to  carry  away,  to  the  ship,  with  the  generous  object  of  leav 
ing  their  own  tents  to  the  immediate  occupation  of  us  pris 
oners.  As  Monsieur  Le  Compte's  plan  was  to  proceed  to  the 
Spanish  Main,  in  order  to  complete  his  contemplated  traffic  in 
that  quarter,  no  sooner  were  the  tents  prepared,  than  the 
French  began  also  to  ship  such  articles  of  their  own,  as  it  had 
originally  been  proposed  to  exchange  for  Spanish  dollars.  In 
the  mean  time,  we  sat  down  to  breakfast. 

"  C  est  la  fortune  de  yucrre  ! — vat  you  call  fortune  of  war, 


268  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

messieurs"  observed  Captain  Le  Compte,  whirling  the  stick  in  a 
vessel  of  chocolate,  in  a  very  artistical  manner,  all  the  while. 
"  Bon — Jest  excellente.  Anloin." 

Antoin  appeared  in  the  shape  of  a  well-smoked,  copper-, 
colored  cabin-boy.  He  was  told  to  take  a  small  pitcher  of  the 
chocolate,  with  Captain  Le  Compte's  compliments  to  madem 
oiselle,  and  to  tell  her  there  was  now  every  prospect  of  their 
quitting  the  island  in  a  very  few  days,  and  of  seeing  la  belle 
Fnuice  in  the  course  of  the  next  four  or  five  months.  This 
was  said  in  French,  and  rapidly,  with  the  vehemence  of  one  who 
felt  all  he  uttered,  and  more  too,  but  I  knew  enough  of  the  lan 
guage  to  understand  its  drift. 

"  I  suppose  the  fellow  is  generalizing  on  our  misfortunes,  in 
his  d — d  lingo,"  growled  Marble  ;  "  but,  let  him  look  out — he's 
not  home  yet,  by  many  a  thousand  miles !" 

I  endeavored  to  explain  it  all  to  Marble ;  but  it  was  useless ; 
he  insisted  the  Frenchman  was  sending  chocolate  from  his  own 
table,  to  his  crew,  in  order  to  play  the  magnifico,  on  the  score 
of  his  own  good  luck.  There  was  no  use  in  "  kicking  against 
the  pricks,"  and  I  let  Marble  enjoy  the  pleasure  of  believing  the 
worst  of  his  captor  ;  a  sort  of  Anglo-Saxon  propensity,  that  has 
garnished  many  a  page  in  English  and  American  history — to 
say  nothing  of  the  propensities  and  histories  of  others,  among 
the  great  family  of  nations. 

•When  breakfast  was  over,  Monsieur  Le  Compte  led  me  aside, 
in  a  walk  under  the  trees,  to  explain  his  views  and  intentions. 
He  gave  me  to  understand  I  had  been  selected  for  this  com 
munication,  on  account  of  his  observing  the  state  of  mind  of 
my  captain.  I  also  comprehended  a  little  French,  which  was 
quite  convenient  in  a  conversation  with  one  who  interlarded  his 
English  so  much  with  phrases  taken  from  his  mother  tongue.  I 
was  given  to  understand  that  the  French  would  put  the  schoon 
er  into  the  water  that  verv  evening  and  that  we  should  find  her 

•/ 

masts,  rigging,  and  sails  all  fitted  for  her.  With  activity,  she 
could  be  ready  to  quit  the  island  in  a  fortnight,  at  the  farthest. 
A  portion  of  our  own  provisions  would  be  landed,  as  better 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  209 

suited  to  our  habits  than  those  which  had  been  taken  from  la 
Pauline ;  while  a  portion  of  the  last  would  be  transferred  to  the 
Crisis,  for  the  same  reason,  as  applied  to  the  French.  As  for 
water-casks,  etc.,  they  were  all  arranged ;  every  thing  of  the 
sort  having  been  taken  from  the  wreck,  with  little  or  no  diffi 
culty,  immediately  after  the  loss  of  the  ship.  In  a  word,  we 
should  have  little  more  to  do,  than  to  step  the  masts,  rig 
our  craft,  stow  her  hold,  and  proceed  at  once  to  the  nearcsi 
friendly  port. 

"  I  zink  you  shall  go  to  Canton,"  added  Monsieur  Ix 
Compte.  "  Ze  distance  shall  not  be  much  more  than  to  Sout 
America ;  and  zere  you  shall  find  plenty  of  your  compatriotes 
Of  course,  you  can  sleep  and  go  chez  vous — vat  you  call 
'  home,'  with  toute  la  facilite.  Oui — cet  arrangement  est  ad 
mirable." 

So  the  arrangement  might  appear  to  him,  though  I  confess 
to  a  decided  preference  to  remaining  in  the  "  blind  Crisis,"  as 
our  men  had  got  to  call  her,  after  her  blundering  through  the 
Straits  of  Magellan. 

"Allans  /"  exclaimed  the  French  captain,  suddenly.  "  We 
are  near  ze  tent  of  mademoiselle — we  shall  go  and  demand  how 
she  carry  herself  ce  beau  matin  /" 

On  looking  up,  I  saw  two  small  tents  within  fifty  yards  of  us. 
They  were  beautifully  placed,  in  the  midst  of  a  thicker  portion 
of  the  grove  than  usual,  and  near  a  spring  of  the  most  exquisite 
ly  limpid  water  I  ever  beheld.  These  tents  were  made  of  new 
canvas,  and  had  been  fashioned  with  care  and  skill.  I  could 
see  that  the  one  we  first  approached  was  carpeted  over,  and  that 
it  had  many  of  the  appliances  of  a  comfortable  abode.  Monsieur 
Le  Compte,  who  was  really  a  good-looking  fellow  under  forty, 
put  on  his  most  amiable  appearance  as  he  got  near  the  canvas 
door ;  and  he  hemmed  once  or  twice,  as  respectfully  as  he  could, 
by  way  of  letting  his  presence  be  known.  In  an  instant,  a 
maid-servant  carne  out  to  receive  him.  The  moment  I  laid 
eyes  on  this  woman,  it  struck  me  her  face  was  familiar,  though 
I  could  not  recall  the  place,  or  time,  where,  or  when,  we  had 


270  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

before  met.  The  occurrence  was  so  singular,  that  I  was  still 
ruminating  on  it,  when  I  unexpectedly  found  myself  standing 
in  the  tent,  face  to  face  with  Emily  Merton  and  her  father ! 

We  recognized  each  other  at  a  glance,  and,  to  Monsieur  Le 
Compte's  amazement,  hearty  greetings  passed  between  us,  as 
old  acquaintances  Old  acquaintances,  however,  we  could 
scarce  be  called ;  but,  on  an  uninhabited  island  in  the  South 
Seas,  one  is  glad  to  meet  any  face  that  he  has  ever  met  before. 
Emily  looked  less  blooming  than  when  we  had  parted,  near  a 
twelvemonth  before,  in  London  ;  but  she  was  still  pretty  and 
pleasing.  Both  she  and  her  father  were  in  mourning,  and,  the 
mother  not  appearing,  I  at  once  guessed  the  truth.  Mrs.  Mer 
ton  was  an  invalid  when  I  knew  her,  though  I  had  not  antici 
pated  for  her  so  speedy  a  death. 

I  thought  Captain  Le  Compte  appeared  vexed  at  my  recep 
tion.  Still,  he  did  not  forget  his  good  manners ;  and  he  rose, 
saying  he  would  leave  me  with  my  friends  to  make  mutual  ex 
planations,  while  he  proceeded  to  overlook  the  duty  of  the  day. 
On  taking  his  leave,  I  was  not  pleased  to  see  him  approach  and 
kiss  Emily's  hand.  The  act  was  done  respectfully,  and  not  en 
tirely  without  grace ;  but  there  were  a  feeling  and  manner  in  it 
that  could  not  well  be  mistaken.  Emily  blushed,  as  she  wished 
him  good  morning,  and  turning  to  look  at  me,  in  spite  of  a  kind 
of  dog-in-the-manger  sensation,  I  could  not  forbear  smiling. 

"  Never,  Mr.  Wallingford,  never  !"  Emily  said,  with  emphasis, 
the  instant  her  admirer  was  out  of  hearing.  "  We  are  at  his 
mercy,  and  must  keep  terms  with  him ;  but  I  can  never  marry 
a  foreigner" 

"  That  is  poor  encouragement  for  Wallingford,  my  dear," 
said  her  father,  laughing,  "  should  he  happen  to  take  a  fancy  to 
you  himself." 

Emily  looked  confused,  but  what,  for  the  circumstances,  was 
better  still,  she  looked  concerned. 

"I  am  sure,  dear  sir,"  she  answered,  with  a  quickness  I 
thought  charming,  "  I  am  sure  Mr.  Wallingford  will  not  sup 
pose  I  meant  any  thing  so  rude.  Then,  he  is  no  importunate 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  271 

suitor  of  mine,  like  this  disagreeable  Frenchman,  who  always 
seems  to  me  more  like  a  Turkish  master,  than  like  one  who 
really  respects  a  woman.  Besides" — 

"  Besides  what,  Miss  Merton  ?"  I  ventured  to  ask,  perceiving 
that  she  hesitated. 

"  Besides,  Americans  are  hardly  foreigners  to  us,"  added 
Emily,  smiling;  "for  we  have  even  American  relatives,  you 
know,  father." 

"  Quite  true,  my  dear,  and  came  near  being  Americans  our 
selves.  Had  my  father  established  himself  where  he  married, 
as  "had  been  his  first  intention,  such  would  have  been  our  na 
tional  character.  But  Monsieur  Le  Compte  has  given  us  a  mo 
ment  to  tell  our  stories  to  each  other,  and  I  think  it  will  not  be  a 
very  long  moment.  Let  one  of  us  commence,  if  we  wish  the 
offices  done  without  unpleasant  listeners." 

Emily  urged  me  to  begin,  and  I  did  not  hesitate.  My  story 
was  soon  told.  Major  Merton  and  his  daughter  understood  all 
about  the  capture  of  the  ship  in  the  basin,  though  they  were 
ignorant  of  the  vessel's  name.  I  had  only  to  relate  our  voyage 
on  the  main,  and  the  death  of  Captain  Williams,  therefore,  to 
have  my  whole  story  told.  I  made  it  all  the  shorter,  from  an 
impatience  to  hear  the  circumstances  which  had  thrown  my 
friends  into  their  present  extraordinary  position. 

"It  seems  extraordinary  enough,  beyond  doubt,"  Major  Mer 
ton  began,  the  moment  I  left  him  an  opening  by  my  closing 
remark,  "  but  it  is  all  very  simple  when  you  commence  at  the 
right  end  of  the  sad  story,  and  follow  events  in  the  order  in 
which  they  occurred. 

"  When  you  left  us  in  London,  Wallingford,  I  supposed  we 
were  on  the  point  of  sailing  for  the  West  Indies,  but  a  better 
appointment  soon  after  offering  in  the  East,  my  destination  was 
changed  to  Bombay.  It  was  important  that  I  should  reach  my 
port  at  as  early  a  day  as  possible,  and  no  regular  Indiaman  being 
ready,  I  took  passage  in  a  licensed  running  vessel,  a  ship  of  no 
size  or  force.  Nothing  occurred  until  we  had  got  within  three 
or  four  days'  sail  of  our  port,  when  we  fell  in  with  la  Pauline, 


'272  AFLOAT     AND     ASHORE. 

and  were  captured.  At  first,  I  think  Captain  Le  Compte  would 
have  been  willing  to  let  me  go  on  parole,  but  no  opportunity 
offered,  and  we  went  with  the  ship  to  Manilla.  While  there  the 
melancholy  loss  happened,  which,  no  doubt,  you  have  compre 
hended  from  our  mourning;  and  I  was  strongly  in  hopes  of 
making  some  arrangements  that  would  still  enable  me  to  save 
my  situation.  But  by  this  time  Monsieur  Le  Compte  had  be 
come  an  open  admirer  of  Emily,  and  I  suppose  it  is  hopeless  to 
expect  any  liberation,  so  long  as  he  can  invent  excuses  to  frus 
trate  it." 

"  I  trust  he  does  not  abuse  his  power  in  any  way,  and  annoj 
Miss  Merton  with  importunities  that  are  unpleasant  to  her." 

Emily  rewarded  me  for  the  warmth  with  which  I  spoke,  with 
a  sweet  smile  and  a  slight  blush. 

"  Of  that  I  cannot  accuse  him,  in  one  sense  at  least,"  resumed 
Major  Merton.  "  Monsieur  Le  Compte  does  all  for  us  that  his 
sense  of  delicacy  can  suggest ;  and  it  was  not  possible  for  pas 
sengers  to  be  more  comfortable  or  retired  on  board  ship,  than 
we  were  in  the  Pauline.  That  vessel  had  a  poop,  and  its  cabin 
was  given  up  entirely  to  our  use.  At  Manilla  I  was  permitted 
to  go  at  large  on  a  mere  verbal  assurance  of  returning,  and  in 
all  other  particulars  we  have  been  treated  as  well  as  circum 
stances  would  very  well  allow.  Nevertheless,  Emily  is  too  young 
to  admire  a  suitor  of  forty,  too  English  to  admire  a  foreigner, 
and  too  well-born  to  accept  one  who  is  merely  a  merchant  sailor 
— I  mean  one  who  is  nothing,  and  has  nothing,  but  what  his 
ship  makes  him  or  can  give  him." 

T  understood  Major  Morton's  distinction ;  he  saw  a  difference 
between  the  heir  of  Clawbonny,  pursuing  his  adventures  for  the 
love  of  the  sea,  and  a  man  who  pursued  the  sea  as  an  adven 
turer.  It  was  not  very  delicately  made,  but  it  was  pretty  well, 
as  coming  from  an  European  to  an  American — the  latter  being 
assumed,  ex  gratia,  to  be  a  being  of  an  inferior  order,  morally, 
politically,  physically,  socially,  and  in  every  other  sense  but  the 
pecuniary.  Thank  Heaven !  the  American  dollar  is  admitted, 
pennyweight  for  pennyweight,  to  a  precedency  immediately 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  273 

next  to  that  of  the  metal  dollar  of  Europe.  It  even  goes  before 
the  paper  thaler  of  Prussia. 

"  I  can  readily  imagine  Miss  Merton  would  look  higher  than 
Captain  Le  Compte,  for  various  reasons,"  I  answered,  making  a 
sort  of  acknowledgment  for  the  distinction  in  my  favor  by  bow 
ing  involuntarily,  "and  I  should  hope  that  gentleman  would 
cease  to  be  importunate  as  soon  as  convinced  he  cannot  succeed." 

"  You  do  not  know  a  Frenchman,  Mr.  Wallingford,"  rejoined 
Emily.  "  He  is  the  hardest  creature  on  earth  to  persuade  into 
the  notion  that  he  is  not  adorable." 

"  I  can  hardly  believe  that  this  weakness  extends  as  far  as  the 
sailors,"  said  I,  laughing.  "  At  all  events,  you  will  be  released 
the  instant  you  reach  France." 

"  Sooner  too,  I  trust,  Wallingford,"  resumed  the  father. 
"  These  Frenchmen  can  have  it  their  own  way  out  here  in  the 
solitude  of  the  Pacific,  but  once  in  the  Atlantic  I  shall  expect 
some  British  cruiser  to  pick  us  up,  long  ere  we  can  reach  France." 

This  was  a  reasonable  expectation,  and  we  conversed  about  it 
for  some  time.  I  shall  not  repeat  all  that  passed,  but  the  reader 
can  have  no  difficulty  in  understanding  that  Major  Merton  «md 
myself  communicated  to  each  other  every  fact  that  was  HKe,y 
to  be  of  interest  to  men  in  our  situation.  When  I  thought  it 
prudent  to  take  my  leave  he  walked  some  distance  with  me, 
holding  his  way  to  a  point  on  the  outer  side  of  the  island,  where 
I  could  get  a  view  of  the  wreck.  Here  he  left  me  for  the  mo 
ment,  while  I  proceeded  along  the  beach,  ruminating  on  all  that 
had  passed. 

The  process  by  which  nature  uses  her  materials  to  found 
islands  in  the  midst  of  oceans  like  the  Pacific,  is  a  curious 
study.  The  insect  that  forms  the  coral  rock,  must  be  an  indus 
trious  little  creature,  as  there  is  reason  to  think  that  some  of 
the  reefs  that  have  become  known  to  navigators  within  the  last 
sixty  or  seventy  years,  have  since  been  converted  into  islands 
bearing  trees,  by  their  labors.  Should  the  work  go  on,  a  part 
of  this  vast  sea  will  yet  be  converted  into  a  continent ;  and  who 
knows  but  a  railroad  may  yet  run  across  that  portion  of  oui 
12* 


274  AFLOAT      AXD      ASHORE. 

globe,  connecting  America  with  the  old  world?  I  see  that 
Captain  Beechy,  in  his  voyage,  speaks  of  a  wreck  that  occurred 
in  1*792,  on  a  reef,  where  in  1826  he  found  an  island  near  three 
leagues  long,  bearing  tall  trees.  It  would  be  a  curious  calcula 
tion  to  ascertain,  if  one  family  of  insects  can  make  an  island 
three  leagues  long,  in  thirty -four  years,  how  many  families  it 
would  take  to  make  the  grading  of  the  railroad  I  have  mentioned. 
Ten  years  since,  I  would  not  have  ventured  a  hint  of  this  nature, 
lof  it  might  have  set  speculation  in  motion,  and  been  the  instru 
ment  of  robbing  more  widows  and  orphans  of  their  straitened 
means ;  but,  Heaven  be  praised !  we  have  at  length  reached  a 
period  in  the  history  of  the  country,  when  a  man  may  venture 
on  a  speculation  in  the  theory  of  geography  without  incurring 
the  risk  of  giving  birth  to  some  wild — if  not  unprincipled — 
speculation  on  dollars  and  cents. 

As  I  drew  near  the  outer  shore  of  the  island,  opposite  to  the 
wreck,  I  came  unexpectedly  on  Marble.  The  poor  fellow  was 
seated  on  a  raised  projection  of  coral  rock,  with  his  arms  folded, 
and  was  in  so  thorough  a  brown  study,  that  he  did  not  even 
hear  my  footsteps  in  approaching,  though  I  purposely  trod 
heavily,  in  order  to  catch  his  ear.  Unwilling  to  disturb  him,  I 
stood  gazing  at  the  wreck  myself,  for  some  little  time,  the  place 
affording  a  much  better  view  of  it  than  any  other  point  from 
which  it  had  met  my  eye.  The  French  had  made  far  greater 
inroads  upon  their  vessel,  than  the  elements.  She  had  struck 
to  leeward  of  the  island,  and  lay  in  a  spot  where,  indeed,  it 
might  take  years  to  break  her  entirely  up,  in  that  placid  sea. 
Most  of  her  upper  works,  however,  were  gone ;  and  I  subse 
quently  discovered  that  her  own  carpenters  had  managed  to 
get  out  even  a  portion  of  her  floor-timbers,  leaving  the  fabric 
bound  together  by  those  they  left.  Her  lower  masts  were 
standing,  but  even  her  lower  yards  had  been  worked  up,  in 
order  to  make  something  useful  for  the  schooner.  The  beach, 
at  no  great  distance,  was  still  strewed  with  objects  brought 
from  the  reef,  and  which  it  had  not  yet  been  found  necessary 
to  use. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  275 

At  length  a  movement  of  mine  attracted  Marble's  attention,  am? 
he  turned  his  head  toward  me.  He  seemed  glad  I  had  joined 
him,  and  expressed  himself  happy,  also,  that  he  saw  me  alone. 

"  I  have  been  generalizing  a  little  on  our  condition,  Miles," 
he  said,  "  and  look  at  it  which  end  forward  I  may,  I  find  it  bad 
enough ;  almost  enough  to  overcome  me.  I  loved  that  ship, 
Mr.  Wallingford,  as  much  as  some  folks  love  their  parents — of 
wife  or  children,  I  never  had  any — and  the  thought  that  she 
has  fallen  into  the  hands  of  a  Frenchman,  is  too  much  for  my 
natur'.  Had  it  been  Smudge,  I  could  have  borne  up  against  it ; 
but,  to  haul  down  one's  colors  to  a  wrack,  and  a  bloody  French 
wrack,  too,  it  is  superhuman  !" 

"  You  must  remember  all  the  circumstances,  Captain  Marble, 
and  you  will  find  consolation.  The  ship  was  surprised,  as  we 
surprised  the  Lady  of  Nantes." 

"  That's  just  it — put  that  on  a  general  principle,  now,  and 
where  are  you?  Surprisers  mustn't  be  surprised.  Had  we  set 
a  quarter-watch,  sir,  it  never  could  have  happened  ;  and  nothing 
less  than  a  quarter-watch  should  have  been  set  in  a  strange 
haven.  What  mattered  it,  that  it  was  an  uninhabited  island, 
and  that  the  ship  was  land-locked  and  well  moored,  and  the 
holding-ground  was  capital  ?  It  is  all  of  no  account  when  you 
come  to  look  at  the  affair  in  the  way  of  duty.  Why,  old  Rob- 
bins,  with  his  rivers  in  the  ocean,  would  never  have  been  caught 
in  this  miserable  manner." 

Then  Marble  fairly  gave  in,  placed  his  two  hard  hands  on  his 
face,  and  I  could  see  tears  trickling  from  beneath  them,  as  if 
water  were  squeezed  from  a  stone. 

"  The  chances  of  the  sea,  Captain  Marble,"  I  said,  greatly 
shocked  at  such  an  exhibition,  coming  from  such  a  quarter — 
"  the  chances  of  the  sea  are  sometimes  too  much  for  the  best 
sailors.  We  should  look  at  this  loss,  as  we  look  at  the  losses 
occasioned  by  a  gale — then  there  is  some  hope  left,  after  all." 

"  I  should  like  to  know  what — to  me,  there  is  no  laud  ahead.'' 

"  Surprisers  may  not  only  be  surprised,  but  they  may  carry 
on  their  old  trade  again,  and  surprise  once  more,  in  their  tarn.'' 


276  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that,  Miles  ?"  said  Marble,  looking  up 
eagerly,  and  speaking  as  quick  as  lightning  ;  "  are  you  general 
izing,  or  have  you  .any  particular  project  in  view  ?" 

"  Both,  sir.  Generalizing,  so  far  as  taking  the  chances  of  war 
are  concerned,  and  particularizing,  as  to  a  certain  notion  that 
lias  come  into  my  head." 

"  Out  with  the  last,  Miles — out  with  it,  boy ;  the  Lord  made 
you  for  something  uncommon." 

"  First,  let  me  know,  Captain  Marble,  whether  you  have  had 
any  further  conversation  with  Monsieur  Le  Compte  ?  whether  lie 
has  said  any  more  on  the  subject  of  our  future  proceedings  ?" 

"  I  just  left  the  grinning  rascal — those  amiable  smiles  of  his, 
Miles,  are  only  so  many  grins  thrown  into  our  faces  to  let  us 
feel  his  good  luck ;  but,  d — n  him,  if  I  ever  get  home,  I'll  fit 
out  a  privateer  and  be  after  him,  if  there's  a  fast-going  schooner 
to  be  had  in  all  America  for  love  or  money.  I  think  I'd  turn 
pirate  to  catch  the  villain  !" 

Alas  !  poor  Marble.  Little  Avould  he,  who  never  got  higher 
than  a  mate,  unless  by  accident,  be  likely  to  persuade  your 
cautious  ship-owners  to  intrust  him  with  a  vessel  of  any  sort,  to 
go  tilting  against  windmills  afloat  in  that  fashion. 

"  But  why  go  to  America  for  a  schooner,  Captain  Marble, 
when  the  French  are  polite  enough  to  give  us  one  here,  exactly 
where  we  are  ?" 

"  I  begin  to  understand  you,  boy.  There  is  a  little  consola 
tion  in  the  idee,  but  this  Frenchman  has  already  got  my  com 
mission,  and  without  the  document  we  should  be  no  better  than 
so  many  pirates." 

"  I  doubt  that,  sir,  even  were  a  ship  to  act  generally,  provided 
she  actually  sailed  with  a  commission,  and  lost  it  by  accident. 
Commissions  are  all  registered,  and  proof  of  our  character  could 
be  found  at  home." 

"  Ay,  for  the  Crisis,  but  not  for  this  '  Pretty  Polly ;'  "  for  so 
Marble  translated  Petite  Pauline.  "  The  commission  is  only 
good  for  the  vessel  that  is  named  in  it." 

"  I  don't  know  that,  Captain  Marble.     Suppose  our  ship  had 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  Z? 

been  sunk  in  an  action  in  which  wo  took  our  enemy,  could  we 
not  continue  our  voyage  in  the  prize,  and  fight  any  thing  that 
came  in  our  way  afterward  ?" 

"  By  George,  that  does  look  reasonable.  Here  was  1  just 
threatening  to  go  out  as  a  pirate,  yet  hesitating  about  taking  my 
own." 

"  Do  not  the  crews  of  captured  vessels  often  rise  upon  their 
captors,  and  recapture  their  own  vessels  ?  and  were  any  of  them 
ever  called  pirates  ?  Besides,  nations  at  war  authorize  almost 
every  sort  o'f  hostile  act  against  their  enemies." 

"Miles,  I  have  been  mistaken — you  are  a  good  seaman,  but  na- 
tur'  meant  you  for  a  lawyer !  Give  me  your  hand,  boy  ;  I  see  a 
gleam  of  hope  ahead,  and  a  man  can  live  on  less  hope  than  food." 

Marble  then  told  me  the  substance  of  the  conversation  he  had 
held  with  Captain  Le  Compte.  The  latter  had  expressed  a  sudden 
and  violent  impatience  to  be  off.  I  understood  the  cause  in  a  mo 
ment;  he  wished  to  separate  Emily  from  her  old  acquaintance,  as 
soon  as  possible,  intending  to  put  the  schooner  into  the  water  for 
us  that  very  afternoon,  and  to  sail  himself  in  the  morning.  This 
was  a  sudden  resolution,  and  the  French  were  moving  heaven 
and  earth  to  carry  it  into  effect.  I  confess  to  some  little  regret 
at  hearing  it,  for  it  was  pleasant  to  meet  the  Mertons  in  that 
unexpected  manner,  and  the  influence  of  woman  in  such  a  soli 
tude  is  usually  great.  I  now  told  Marble  of  my  discovery,  and 
when  he  had  got  through  with  his  expressions  of  wonder,  I  car 
ried  him  to  the  tents,  and  led  him  into  the  presence  of  his  old 
acquaintances.  In  consequence  of  this  visit,  I  enjoyed  another 
half  hour's  tete-d-tete  with  Emily,  Marble  soon  taking  the  major 
to  walk  with  him  beneath  the  trees. 

We  were  both  recalled  to  a  sense  of  our  real  situation  by  the 
reappearance  of  Monsieur  Le  Compte.  I  cannot  say  that  our 
conqueror  behaved  in  the  least  unhandsomely  toward  us,  not 
withstanding  his  evident  jealousy.  He  had  the  tact  to  con 
ceal  most  of  his  feelings,  and  owing  either  to  liberality  or  to  art, 
he  assumed  an  air  of  generous  confidence,  that  would  be  much 
more  likely  to  touch  the  feelings  of  the  maid  he  sought  than 


278  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

any  acts  of  severity.  First  asking  permission  of  Miss  Merton, 
he  even  invited  us  and  himself  to  dine  with  the  major,  and  on 
the  whole  we  had  an  agreeable  entertainment.  We  -had  turtle 
and  champagne,  and  both  of  a  quality  that  was  then  out  of  the 
reach  of  all  the  aldermen  of  London  or  New  York ;  begging 
pardon  of  the  Sir  Peters  and  Sir  Johns  of  Guildhall,  for  putting 
them,  in  any  sense,  on  a  level  with  the  "gentleman  from  the 
Fourth  Ward"  or  "  the  gentleman  from  the  Eleventh  Ward ;" 
though,  if  the  truth  must  be  told,  the  last  very  often  eat  the 
best  dinners,  and  drink,  out  of  all  comparison,  the  best  wines. 
Who  pays,  is  a  fact  buried  in  the  arcana  of  aldermanic  legerde 
main.  It  was  late  before  we  left  the  table,  though  Monsieur  Le 
Compte  quitted  us  early. 

At  five  o'clock  precisely  we  were  summoned  to  witness  the 
launch.  Champagne  and  claret  had  brought  Marble  into  good- 
humor,  nor  was  I  at  all  out  of  spirits,  myself.  Emily  put  on 
her  hat,  and  took  her  parasol,  just  as  she  would  have  done  at 
home,  and  accepting  my  arm,  she  walked  to  the  ship-yard,  like 
all  the  rest  of  us.  Getting  her  a  good  place  for  the  sight,  I  ac 
companied  Marble  to  take  a  look  at  the  "  Pretty  Poll,"  which 
had  not  as  yet  attracted  as  much  of  our  attention  as  she  ought. 
I  had  suggested  to  him  the  probability  of  an  occasion  offering 
to  rise  upon  the  Frenchmen,  while  their  attention  was  taken  up 
with  the  schooner ;  but  Monsieur  Le  Compte  warily  kept  quite 
half  his  men  in  the-  ship,  and  this  put  the  attempt  out  of  the 
question,  since  the  guns  of  the  Crisis  would  have  swept  any 
part  of  the  island. 

The  French  mechanics  deserved  great  credit  for  the  skill  they 
had  manifested  in  the  construction  of  La  Petite  Pauline.  She 
was  not  only  a  safe  and  commodious  craft  for  her  size,  but  what 
was  of  great  importance  to  us,  her  lines  promised  that  she  would 
turn  out  to  be  a  fast  sailer.  I  afterward  ascertained  that  Cap 
tain  Le  Compte  had  been  her  draftsman,  possessing  not  only 
much  taste  for,  but  a  good  deal  of  practice  in,  the  art.  The 
ship  in  which  the  Mertons  had  taken  passage  to  Bombay,  had 
the  copper  for  a  teak-built  frigate  and  sloop-of- war  in  her,  and 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  279 

this  had  been  transferred,  among  other  articles,  to  la  Pauline, 
before  the  prize  was  burned.  Availing  himself  of  this  circum 
stance,  Monsieur  Le  Compte  had  actually  coppered  his  schoon 
er,  and  otherwise  he  had  made  her  as  neat  and  commodious  as 
possible.  I  make  no  doubt  he  intended  to  surprise  his  friends 
at  Marseilles,  by  showing  what  clever  mariners,  wrecked  on  an 
island  of  the  Pacific,  could  do  on  an  emergency.  Then,  doubt 
less,  he  found  it  pleasant  to  linger  on  this  island,  eating  fresh 
cocoa-nuts,  with  delicious  turtle,  and  making  love  to  Emily  Mer- 
t.on.  Some  of  the  charms  of  "Pretty  Poll"  were  fairly  to  be 
attributed  to  the  charms  of  the  young  lady. 

The  men  began  to  wedge  up  the  moment  we  were  all  present, 
and  this  portion  of  the  labor  was  soon  completed.  Monsieur 
Le  Cornpte  then  took  his  station  in  the  head  of  the  schooner. 
Making  a  profound  bow  to  Emily,  as  if  to  ask  her  permission, 
the  signal  was  given ;  the  spur-shores  were  knocked  away,  and 
the  little  craft  slid  off  into  the  water  so  easily,  making  so  little 
ripple  as  she  shot  a  hundred  fathoms  into  the  bay,  as  to  give 
the  assurance  she  would  prove  a  fast  vessel.  Just  as  she  was 
water-borne,  Le  Compte  dashed  a  bottle  against  the  tiller,  and 
shouted  at  the  top  of  his  voice,  "  succes  a  la  Belle  EmilieT 

I  turned  to  Emily,  and  saw  by  the  blush  that  she  understood 
French,  while  the  manner  in  which  she  pouted  her  pretty  plump 
lip  betrayed  the  humor  in  which  the  compliment  had  been  re 
ceived. 

In  a  few  minutes  Captain  Le  Compte  landed,  and,  in  a  set 
speech,  he  gave  up  the  schooner  to  our  possession.  We  were 
told  not  to  consider  ourselves  as  prisoners,  our  captor  hand 
somely  admitting  that  he  had  gained  no  laurels  by  his  victory. 

"  We  shall  go  away  good  friend,"  he  concluded,  "  mats,  sup 
pose  we  shall  meet,  and  nos  dux  r.epublique  shall  not  be  at  peace, 
then  each  must  fight  for  son  pavilion!" 

This  was  a  good  concluding  sentiment  for  such  a  scene.  Im 
mediately  after,  the  Mortons  and  their  domestics,  of  whom  there 
were  a  man  and  a  woman,  embarked.  I  took  leave  of  them  on 
the  beach,  and  either  my  observation  or  my  vanity  induced  me 


280  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

to  think  Emily  got  into  the  boat  with  reluctance.  Many  good 
wishes  were  exchanged,  and  the  major  called  out  to  us,  "  We 
shall  meet  again,  gentlemen — there  has  been  a  Providence  in 
our  previous  intercourse.  Adieu,  until  then.'1'1 

The  French  were  now  in  a  great  bustle.  Most  of  the  articles 
they  intended  to  carry  away  were  already  on  board  the  ship, 
and  by  the  time  it  was  dusk  they  had  closed  their  communica 
tion  with  the  land.  When  Captain  Le  Compte  took  his  leave 
of  us,  I  could  not  but  thank  him  for  his  many  civilities.  He 
had  certainly  dealt  generously  by  us,  though  I  still  think  his 
sudden  departure,  which  made  us  fell  heirs  to  many  things  we 
otherwise  might  not  have  so  done,  was  owing  to  his  wish  to  re 
move  Emily  Morton,  as  quickly  as  possible,  from  my  sight. 

At  daylight  next  morning,  Neb  came  to  the  officers'  tents  to 
say  the  ship  was  getting  her  anchors.  I  was  up  and  dressed  in 
a  moment.  The  distance  to  the  inlet  was  about  a  mile,  and  I 
reached  it  just  as  the  Crisis  was  cast.  In  a  few  minutes  she 
came  sweeping  into  the  narrow  pass,  under  her  topsails,  and  I 
saw  Emily  and  her  father  leaning  over  the  hammock-cloths  of 
the  quarter-deck.  The  beautiful  girl  was  so  near  that  I  could 
read  the  expression  of  her  soft  eyes,  and  I  fancied  they  were 
filled  with  gentle  concern.  The  major  called  out,  "  God  bless 
you,  dear  Wallingford" — then  the  ship  swept  past,  and  was 
soon  in  the  outer  »bay.  Half  an  hour  later,  or  before  I  left  the 
spot,  she  was  at  sea,  under  every  thing  that  would  draw  from 
her  trucks  down. 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  281 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

ttl  better  brook  the  loss  of  brittle  life, 
Than  those  proud  titles  thon  hast  won  of  me  ; 
They  wound  my  thoughts,  worse  than  thy  sword  my  flesh." 

SUAK8PEABE. 

HALF-WAY  between  this  inlet  and  the  ship-yard  I  found  Mar 
ble,  standing  with  his  arms  folded,  gazing  after  the  receding  ship. 
His  countenance  was  no  longer  saddened ;  but  it  was  fierce. 
He  shook  his  hand  menacingly  at  the  French  ensign,  which  was 
flying  at  our  old  gaff,  and  said — 

"Ay,  d — n  you,  flutter  away;  you  quiver  and  shake  now 
like  one  of  your  coxcombs  pigeon-winging ;  but  where  will  you 
be  this  day  two  months  ?  Miles,  no  man  but  a  bloody  French 
man  would  cast  away  a  ship  there,  where  this  Mister  Count  has 
left  the  bones  of  his  vessel ;  though  here,  where  we  came  so 
nigh  going,  it's  a  miracle  any  man  could  escape.  Hadn't  we 
brought  the  Crisis  through  that  opening  first,  he  never  would 
have  dared  to  go  out  by  it." 

I  confess  I  saw  little  abo.ut  Monsieur  Le  Compte's  manage 
ment  but  skill  and  good  seamanship  ;  but  nothing  is  more  pain 
ful  to  most  men  than  to  admit  the  merit  of  those  who  have  ob 
tained  an  advantage  over  them.  Marble  could  not  forget  his 
own  defeat,  and  the  recollection  jaundiced  his  eyes  and  biased 
his  judgment. 

"  I  see  our  people  are  busy  already,  sir,"  I  remarked,  by  way 
of  drawing  the  captain's  attention  to  some  other  subject.  "They 
have  hauled  the  schooner  up  to  the  yard,  and  seem  to  be  get 
ting  along  spars  for  shores." 

"  Ay,  ay — Talcott  has  his  orders,  and  I  expect  you  will  bestii 
yourself.  I  shall  step  the  masts  myself,  and  you  will  get  all  tha 


282  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

rigging  ready  to  be  put  into  its  place,  the  moment  it  is  possible 
That  Frenchman  calculated,  he  told  me  to  my  face,  that  w< 
might  got  to  sea  in  a  fortnight ;  I  will  let  him  see  that  a  set  of 
Yankees  can  rig  and  stow  his  bloody  schooner  in  three  days, 
and  then  leave  themselves  time  to  play." 

Marble  was  not  a  man  of  idle  vaunts.  He  soon  had  every 
body  at  work,  with  a  system,  order,  silence,  and  activity,  that 
proved  he  was  master  of  his  profession.  Nor  was  the  language 
which  might  sound  so  boastful  to  foreign  ears,  altogether  with 
out  its  justification.  Forty  Americans  were  a  formidable  force; 
and,  well  directed,  I  make  no  doubt  they  would  accomplish  far 
more  than  the  ordinary  run  of  French  seamen,  as  they  were 
governed  and  managed  in  the  year  1800,  and  counting  them 
man  for  man,  would  have  accomplished  in  double  the  time. 
Our  crew  had  now  long  acted  together,  and  frequently  under 
the  most  trying  circumstances ;  and  they  showed  their  train 
ing,  if  men  ever  did,  on  the  present  occasion.  Everybody  was 
busy ;  and  we  had  the  shears  up,  and  both  masts  stepped,  in 
the  course  of  a  few  hours.  By  the  time  the  mainmast  was  in, 
I  had  the  foremast  rigged,  the  jib-boom  in  its  place,  the  sprit- 
sail  yard  crossed — every  thing  carried  a  spar  under  its  bowsprit 
then — and  the  lower  yard  up.  It  is  true,  the  French  had  got 
every  thing  ready  for  us ;  and  when  we  turned  the  hands  to, 
after  dinner,  we  actually  began  to  strike  in  cargo,  water,  provis 
ions,  and  such  other  things  as  it  was  intended  to  carry  away. 
At  dusk,  when  we  knocked  off  work,  the  Emily  looked  like  a 
sea-going  craft,  and  there  was  every  prospect  of  our  having  her 
ready  for  sea  by  the  following  evening.  But,  the  duty  had 
been  carried  on  in  silence.  Napoleon  said  there  had  been 
more  noise  made  in  the  little  schooner  which  carried  him  from 
1'Orient  to  Basque  Eoads,  than  was  made  on  board  the  line-of- 
battle  ship  that  conveyed  him  to  St.  Helena,  during  the  whole 
passage.  Since  that  memorable  day,  the  French  have  learned 
to  be  silent  on  board  ship,  and  the  fruits  remain  to  be  seen. 

That  night,  Marble  and  myself  consulted  together  on  the 
aspect  of  things — or,  as  he  expressed  it,  "  we  generalized"  over 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  283 

our  prospects."  Monsieur  Le  Compte  had  done  one  tiling 
which  duty  required  of  him.  He  did  not  leave  us  a  kernel  of 
the  gunpowder  belonging  to  either  ship ;  nor  could  we  find 
a  boarding-pike,  cutlass,  or  weapon  of  any  sort,  except  the 
officers'  pistols.  We  had  a  canister  of  powder,  and  a  suffi 
ciency  of  bullets  for  the  last,  which  had  been  left  us,  out  of  an 
esprit  de  corps,  or  the  feeling  of  an  officer,  which  told  him  we 
might  possibly  need  these  means  to  keep  our  own  crew  in  or 
der.  Such  was  not  the  fact,  however,  with  the  particular 
people  we  happened  to  have ;  a  more  orderly  and  reasonable 
set  of  men  never  sailing  together.  But,  Monsieur  Le  Compte 
knew  it  was  his  duty  to  put  it  out  of  their  power  to  trouble  us, 
so  far  as  it  lay  in  his ;  but,  at  the  same  time,  while  he  left  us 
the  means  of  safety,  he  provided  against  our  doing  any  further 
injury  to  his  own  countrymen.  In  this  he  had  pretty  effectual 
ly  succeeded,  so  far  as  armament  was  concerned. 

The  next  morning  I  was  up  with  the  appearance  of  the  dawn, 
and,  having  suffered  much  from  the  heat  the  preceding  day,  I 
walked  to  a  suitable  spot,  threw  off  my  clothes,  and  plunged 
into  the  basin.  The  water  was  transparent  almost  as  air ;  and 
I  happened  to  select  a  place  where  the  coral  grew  within  a  few 
yards  of  the  surface.  As  I  dove,  my  eye  fell  on  a  considerable 
cluster  of  large  oysters  that  were  collected  on  the  rock,  and, 
reaching  them,  I  succeeded  in  bringing  up  half  a  dozen  that 
clung  to  each  other.  These  dives  I  repeated,  during  the  next 
quarter  cf  an  hour,  until  I  had  all  the  oysters,  sixty  or  eighty 
in  number,  safe  on  the  shore.  That  they  were  the  pearl  oysters, 
I  knew  immediately ;  and  beckoning  to  Neb,  the  fellow  soon 
had  them  snug  in  a  basket,  and  put  away  in  a  place  of  security. 
The  circumstance  was  mentioned  to  Marble,  who,  finding  no 
more  heavy  drags  to  be  made,  ordered  the  Sandwich  Islanders 
to  take  a  boat  and  pass  a  few  hours  in  their  regular  occupation, 
on  account  of  the  owners — if,  indeed,  the  last  had  any  further 
claim  on  our  services.  These  men  met  with  tolerable  success, 
though,  relatively,  nothing  equal  to  mine.  What,  just  then, 
\vas  of  far  more  importance,  they  made  a  discovery  of  an  arm- 


284  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

chest  lying  on  the  bottom  of  the  basin,  at  the  anchorage  of  the 
Crisis,  and  which  had  doubtless  been  sunk  there  by  the  French. 
We  had  all  la  Pauline's  boats  but  the  captain's  gig.  I  went  in 
one  of  them  with  a  gang  of  hands,  and,  the  divers  securing  a 
rope  to  the  handles  of  the  chest,  we  soon  got  it  in.  It  turned 
out  to  be  one  of  the  arm-chests  of  the  Crisis,  which  the  French 
had  found  in  their  way  and  thrown  overboard,  evidently  prefer 
ring  to  use  weapons  to  which  they  were  accustomed.  They  had 
done  better  by  carrying  the  chest  out  to  sea,  and  disposing  of  it 
in  fifty  or  a  hundred  fathoms  of  water. 

The  prize  was  turned  over  to  the  gunner,  who  reported  that 
it  was  the  chest  in  which  we  kept  our  cutlasses  and  pistols,  of 
both  of  which  there  was  a  sufficient  supply  to  give  every  man  one 
of  each.  There  were  also  several  horns  of  powder,  and  a  bag 
of  bullets ;  but  the  first  was  ruined  by  the  water.  As  for  the 
arms,  they  were  rubbed  dry,  oiled,  and  put  away  again  in  the 
chest,  after  the  last  had  stood  a  whole  day  in  the  hot  sun  open. 
Thus,  through  the  agency  of  men  brought  for  a  very  different 
purpose,  we  were  put  in  possession  of  the  means  of  achieving 
the  exploit,  which  might  now  be  said  to  form  the  great  object 
of  our  lives. 

That  day  we  got  every  thing  on  board  the  schooner  that  it 
was  thought  desirable  to  take  with  us.  We  left  much  behind 
that  was  valuable,  it  is  true,  especially  the  copper ;  but  Marble 
wisely  determined  that  it  was  inexpedient  to  put  the  vessel 
deeper  than  good  ballast-trim,  lest  it  should  hurt  her  sailing. 
We  had  got  her  fairly  to  her  bearings,  and  this  was  believed  to 
be  as  low  as  was  expedient.  It  is  true,  a  great  deal  remained  to 
be  stowed  ;  the  deck  being  littered,  and  the  hold,  the  ground 
tier  excepted,  in  great  confusion.  But  our  bread,  water,  beef, 
pork,  and  other  eatables,  were  all  there,  and  in  abundance ;  and, 
though  not  to  be  had  for  the  asking,  they  were  still  to  be  had. 
The  sails  were  bent,  and  the  only  anchor,  la  Pauline's  stream, 
with  her  two  largest  kedges,  was  on  our  bows.  While  in  this 
condition,  Marble  gave  the  unexpected  order  for  all  hands  to 
come  on  board,  and  for  the  shore-fasts  to  be  cast  off. 


AFLOAT      AND      AS  U  ORE.  285 

Of  course,  there  was  no  dissenting  to  so  positive  a  command. 
We  had  signed  new  shipping-articles  for  the  schooner,  extend 
ing  the  engagements  made  when  we  entered  on  board  the  Crisis 
to  this  new  vessel,  or  any  other  she  might  capture.  The  wind 
was  a  steady  trade,  and  when  we  showed  our  mainsail  and  jil 
to  it,  the  little  craft  glided  athwart  the  basin  like  a  duck.  Shoot 
ing  through  the  pass,  Marble  tacked  her  twice,  as  soon  as  he  had 
an  offing ;  and  everybody  was  delighted  with  the  quickness  with 
which  she  was  worked.  There  was  barely  light  enough  to  en 
able  us  to  find  our  way  through  the  opening  in  the  reef;  and, 
just  thirty-eight  hours  after  the  Crisis  sailed,  we  were  on  her 
track.  We  had  only  conjecture  to  guide  us  as  to  the  ship's 
course,  with  the  exception  of  the  main  fact  of  her  having  sailed 
for  the  west  coast  of  South  America ;  but  we  had  not  failed  to 
notice  that  she  disappeared  in  the  north-east  trades,  on  a  bow 
line.  We  put  the  schooner  as  near  as  possible  on  the  same  course, 
making  a  proper  allowance  for  the  difference  in  the  rig  of  the 
two  vessels. 

The  distance  run  that  night  satisfied  us  all  that  Monsieur  Le 
Compte  was  a  good  draftsman.  The  schooner  ran  106  miles  in 
twelve  hours,  against  a  very  respectable  sea,  which  was  at  least 
ten  or  fifteen  more  than  the  Crisis  could  have  done  under  the 
•  same  circumstances.  It  is  true,  that  what  was  close-hauled  for 
her,  was  not  close-hauled  for  us ;  and,  in  this  respect,  we  had 
the  advantage  of  her.  Marble  was  so  well  pleased  with  our 
night's  work,  that  when  he  came  on  deck  next  morning,  the  first 
thing  he  did  was  to  order  a  bottle  of  rum  to  be  brought  him, 
and  then  all  hands  to  be  called.  As  soon  as  the  people  were  up, 
he  went  forward,  got  into  the  head,  and  commanded  everybody 
to  muster  on  the  forecastle.  Marble  now  made  a  speech. 

"We  have  some  good,  and  some  bad  luck  this  v'y'ge  men,"  he 
said ;  "  and  when  we  generalize  on  the  subject,  it  will  be  found 
that  good  luck  has  usually  followed  the  bad  luck.  Now,  the 
savages,  with  that  blackguard  Smudge,  knocked  poor  Captain 
Williams  in  the  head,  and  threw  him  overboard,  and  got  the 
ship  from  us ;  then  came  the  good  luck  of  getting  her  back 


286  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

again.  After  this,  the  French  did  us  that  unhandsome  thing : 
now,  here  comes  the  good  luck  of  their  leaving  us  a  craft  that 
will  overhaul  the  ship,  when  I  needn't  tell  you  what  will  come 
of  it."  Here  all  hands,  as  in  duty  bound,  gave  three  cheers. 
"  Now,  I  neither  sail  nor  fight  in  a  craft  that  carries  a  French 
name.  Captain  Count  christened-  the  schooner  the — Mr.  Wal- 
lingford,  will  you  tell  her  exact  name  ?" 

"  La  Belle  Emilic,"  said  I,  "  or  the  Beautiful  Emily." 

"  None  of  your  belles  for  me,  nor  your  Beautiful  Emilys 
either,"  cried  Marble,  smashing  the  bottle  over  the  schooner's 
nose ;  "  so  here  goes  three  cheers  again,  for  the  '  Pretty  Poll,' 
which  was  the  name  the  craft  was  born  to,  and  the  name  she 
shall  bear,  as  long  as  Moses  Marble  sails  her." 

From  that  moment,  the  schooner  was  known  by  the  name  of 
the  "  Pretty  Poll."  I  met  with  portions  of  our  crew  years  after 
ward,  and  they  always  spoke  of  her  by  this  appellation ;  some 
times  familiarly  terming  her  the  "  Poll,"  or  the  "  Polly." 

All  the  first  day  out,  we  were  busy  in  making  ourselves  com 
fortable,  and  in  getting  the  Polly's  trim.  We  succeeded  so 
well  iu  this  last,  that,  according  to  our  calculations,  we  made  a 
knot  an  hour  more  than  the  Crisis  could  have  done  under  the 
same  circumstances,  fast  as  the  ship  was  known  to  be.  As  the 
Crisis  "had  about  thirty-eight  hours  the  start  of  us,  and  ran,  on 
an  average,  about  seven  knots  the  hour  for  all  that  time,  it 
would  require  about  ten  days  to  overtake  her.  Of  course  this 
could  only  happen,  according  to  our  own  calculations,  when  we 
were  from  eighteen  hundred  to  two  thousand  miles  from  the 
island.  For  my  own  part,  I  sincerely  hoped  it  would  not  occur 
at  all,  at  sea ;  feeling  satisfied  our  only  chances  of  success  de 
pended  on  surprise.  By  following  the  vessel  into  some  port,  it 
might  be  possible  to  succeed  ;  but  for  an  unarmed  schooner  to 
attack  a  ship  like  the  Crisis,  with  even  a  large  crew  on  board, 
it  seemed  rashness  to  think  of  it.  Marble,  however,  would  not 
listen  to  my  remonstrances.  He  insisted  we  had  more  than 
powder  enough  to  load  all  our  pistols  half  a  dozen  times 
each,  and,  laying  the  ship  plump  aboard,  the  pistols  would  d^ 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  287 

the  rest.  I  was  silenced,  quite  as  a  matter  of  course,  if  not 
convinced. 

The  fifth  day  out,  Neb  came  to  me,  saying — "  Master  Miles, 
somet'ing  must  be  done.wid  'em  'ere  'ysters!  Dey  smell,  on- 
accountable  ;  and  de  people  swear  dey  will  t'row  'em  overboard, 
if  I  don't  eat  'em.  I  not  hungry  enough  for  dat,  sir." 

These  were  the  pearl  oysters,  already  mentioned,  which  had 
been  hastening  to  dissolution  and  decomposition,  by  the  heat 
of  the  hold.  As  the  captain  was  as  much  concerned  in  this 
portion  of  the  cargo,  as  I  was  myself,  I  communicated  the  state 
of  things  to  him,  and  he  ordered  the  bags  and  barrels  on  deck, 
forthwith.  It  was  well  something  was  done,  or  I  doubt  not  a 
disease  would  have  been  the  consequence.  As  decomposition 
was  the  usual  process  by  which  to  come  at  the  treasures  of  these 
animals,  however,  every  thing  was  exactly  in  the  state  we  wished. 

An  uninterested  observer  would  have  laughed  at  seeing  the 
employment  of  the  quarter-deck  for  the  next  four  hours.  Mar 
ble,  and  the  two  mates,  attacked  a  "barrel  belonging  to  the  cap 
tain,  while  Neb  and  I  had  my  own  share  to  ourselves.  It  was 
a  trying  occupation,  the  odor  far  exceeding  in  strength  that  of 
the  Spice  Islands.  We  stood  it,  however — for  what  will  not 
man  endure  for  the  sake  of  riches  ?  Marble  foresaw  the  diffi 
culties,  and  had  once  announced  to  the  mates  that  thev  then 
would  "  open  on  shares."  This  had  a  solacing  influence,  and 
amid  much  mirth  and  sundry  grimaces,  the  work  went  on  with 
tolerable  rapidity.  I  observed,  however,  that  Talcott  threw  one 
or  two  subjects,  that  doubtless  were  tougher  than  common, 
overboard,  after  very  superficial  examinations. 

The  first  seven  oysters  I  examined,  contained  nothing  but 
seed  pearl,  and  not  many  of  these.  Neb  opened,  and  I  ex 
amined  ;  and  the  latter  occupation  was  so  little  to  my  taste, 
that  I  was  just  on  the  point  of  ordering  the  whole  lot  thrown 
overboard,  when  Neb  handed  me  another.  This  oyster  con 
tained  nine  beautiful  pearls,  of  very  uniform  dimensions,  and 
each  about  as  large  as  a  good-sized  pea.  I  dropped  them  into  a 
bowl  of  fresh  water,  whence  they  came  out  sweet,  pearly,  and 


288  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

lustrous.  Th?y  were  of  the  sort  known  as  the  "  white  water," 
which  is  the  kind  most  prized  among  Christian  nations,  doubt 
less  on  account  of  their  harmonizing  so  well  with  the  skins  of 
their  women.  No  sooner  was  my  luck  known,  than  it  brought 
all  the  other  "  pearl  fishermen"  around  me ;  Marble,  with  his 
nostrils  plugged  with  oakum,  and  a  quid  of  tobacco  in  his 
mouth,  that  was  as  large  as  a  small  potato. 

"  By  George,  Miles,  that  looks  like  business,"  the  captain  ex 
claimed,  going  back  to  his  work,  with  renovated  zeal,  "  though 
it  is  a  calling  fit  only  for  hogs  and  scavengers  !  Did  I  embark 
in  it  largely,  I  would  keep  as  many  clerks  as  a  bank.  What  do 
you  suppose,  now,  these  nine  chaps  may  be  worth  ?" 

"  Some  fifty  dollars,  or  thereabouts — you  see,  sir,  they  are 
quite  large — much  larger  than  it  is  usual  to  see  our  women 
wear." 

The  ninth  of  my  oysters  produced  eleven  pearls,  and  all  about 
the  size  and  quality  of  the  first.  In  a  few  minutes  I  had  seventy- 
three  just  such  pearls,  besides  a  quantity  of  seed  pearl.  Then 
followed  a  succession  of  barren  shells ;  a  dozen  not  giving  a 
pearl.  The  three  that  succeeded  them  gave  thirty-one  more ; 
and  another  yielded  four  pearls,  each  of  which  was  as  large  as  a 
small  cherry.  After  that,  I  got  one  that  was  almost  as  large  as 
a  common  hickory-nut,  and  six  more  of  the  size  of  the  cherry- 
sized  pearls.  In  addition  to  these,  I  got  in  all,  one  hundred 
and  eighty-seven  of  the  size  of  peas,  besides  a  large  handful  of 
the  seed  pearl.  I  afterward  ascertained  that  the  pearls  I  had 
thus  obtained  were  worth  in  the  market  about  eighteen  hundred 
dollars ;  as  they  were  far  more  remarkable  for  their  beauty  than 
for  their  size. 

Notwithstanding  the  oakum  plugs,  and  the  tobacco,  and  the 
great  quantity  of  shells  his  divers  had  found,  for  they  had 
brought  up  something  like  two  hundred  and  fifty  oysters  in  the 
course  of  a  day,  the  party  of  the  captain  found  in  all,  but  thirty- 
six  pearls,  the  seed  excepted ;  though  they  obtained  some  beau 
tiful  specimens  among  the  shells.  From  that  moment,  Marble 
discontinued  the  trade,  and  I  never  heard  him  say  any  thing 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  289 

more  on  the  subject  of  pursuing  it.  My  own  beauties  were  put 
carefully  away,  in  reserve  for  the  time  when  I  might  delight  the 
eyes  of  certain  of  my  female  friends  with  them.  I  never  intend 
ed  to  sell  one,  but  they  were  very  precious  to  me  on  other 
accounts.  As  for  the  crew,  glad  enough  were  they  to  be  rid  of 
such  uncomfortable  shipmates.  As  I  gazed  on  the  spotless  and 
lustrous  pearls,  and  compared  them  with  the  revolting  tenements 
from  which  they  had  just  been  redeemed,  I  likened  them  to  the 
souls  of  the  just  escaping  from  their  tenements  of  clay,  to  enjoy 
hereafter  an  endless  existence  of  purity. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Pretty  Poll  continued  to  find  her  way 
along  miles  and  miles  of  the  deserted  track  across  the  Pacific. 
Marble  had  once  belonged  to  a  Baltimore  clipper,  and  he  sailed 
our  craft  probably  much  better  than  she  would  have  been  sailed 
by  Monsieur  Le  Compte,  though  that  officer,  as  I  afterward  learn 
ed,  had  distinguished  himself  in  command  of  a  lugger-privateer, 
in  the  British  Channel.  Our  progress  was  generally  from  a  hun 
dred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  and  twenty  miles  in  twenty-four 
hours ;  and  so  it  continued  to  be  for  the  first  ten  days,  or  the 
period,  when,  according  to  our  own  calculations,  we  ought  to  be 
near  the  Crisis,  had  that  vessel  steered  a  course  resembling  our 
own.  For  my  own  part,  I  neither  wished  nor  expected  to  see 
the  ship,  until  we  reached  the  coast  of  South  America,  when  we 
might  ascertain  her  position  by  communicating  with  the  shore. 
As  for  the  guarda-costas,  I  knew  we  could  easily  elude  them, 
and  there  might  be  a  small  chance  of  regaining  the  vessel,  some 
thing  like  the  way  in  which  we  had  lost  her.  But  Marble's 
impatience,  and  the  keenness  with  which  he  felt  our  disgrace, 
would  not  make  terms  even  with  the  elements ;  and  I  do  believe 
he  would  have  run  alongside  of  the  Crisis  in  a  gale  of  wind, 
could  he  have  come  up  with  her.  The  chance  of  our  having 
sailed  so  far,  however,  on  a  line  so  nearly  resembling  that  of  the 
chase  as  to  bring  us  together,  was  so  very  small,  that  few  of  us 
thought  it  worth  our  consideration. 

On  the  morning  of  the  eleventh  day,  the  look-out  we  had 
kept  on  the  fore-topsail-yard,  sang  out  "  Sail  ho  I"  Marble  and 
13 


290  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

myself  were  soon  on  the  yard,  there  being  nothing  visible  from 
the  deck.  The  upper  sails,  topgallant-sails,  and  royals  of  the 
ship  were  visible  on  our  weather  quarter,  distant  from  fifteen  to 
twenty  miles.  As  we  were  now  in  the  track  of  whalers,  of 
which  there  were  a  good  many  in  that  part  of  the  Pacific,  I 
thought  it  was  probable  this  was  one ;  but  Marble  laughed  at 
the  notion,  asking  if  I  had  ever  heard  of  a  whaler's  carrying 
royals  on  her  cruising  ground.  He  affirmed  it  was  the  Crisis, 
heading  the  same  way  we  were  ourselves,  and  which  had  only 
got  to  windward  of  us,  by  keeping  a  better  luff.  We  had  calcu 
lated  too  much  on  the  schooner's  weatherly  qualities,  and  had 
allowed  her  to  fall  off  more  than  was  necessary,  in  the  night- 
watches. 

The  Pretty  Poll  was  now  jammed  up  on  a  wind,  in  the 
hope  of  closing  with  the  chase  in  the  course  of  the  night.  But 
the  wind  had  been  growing  lighter  and  lighter  for  some  hours, 
and  by  noon,  though  we  had  nearcd  the  chase  so  much  as  to  be 
able  to  see  her  from  deck,  there  was  every  prospect  of  its  falling 
calm ;  after  which,  in  the  trades,  it  would  be  surprising  if  we 
did  not  get  a  blow.  To  make  the  most  of  our  time,  Marble 
determined  to  tack,  when  we  had  just  got  the  chase  a  point  off 
our  weather-bow.  An  hour  after  tacking,  an  object  was  seen 
adrift  on  the  ocean,  and  keeping  away  a  little  to  close  with 
it,  it  was  ascertained  to  be  a  whaleboat  adrift.  The  boat  was 
American-built,  had  a  breaker  of  water,  the  oars,  and  all  the  usual 
fittings  in  it ;  and  the  painter  being  loose,  it  had  probably  been 
lost,  when  towing  in  the  night,  in  consequence  of  having  been 
fastened  by  three  half-hitches. 

The  moment  Marble  ascertained  the  condition  of  this  boat, 
he  conceived  his  plan  of  operations.  The  four  Sandwich  Island 
ers  had  been  in  whalers,  and  he  ordered  them  into  the  boat,  put 
in  some  rum  and  some  food,  gave  me  his  orders,  got  in  himself, 
and  pulled  ahead,  going  off  at  five  knots  the  hour,  leaving  the 
Bchooner  to  follow  at  the  rate  of  two.  This  was  about  an  hour 
before  sunset,  and  by  the  time  it  was  dark,  the  boat  had  become 
a  mere  speck  on  the  water,  nearly  half-way  between  us  and  the 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  291 

ship,  which  was  now  some  fifteen  miles  distant,  heading  always 
in  the  same  direction. 

My  orders  had  been  very  simple.  They  were,  to  stand  on  the 
same  course  until  I  saw  a  light  from  the  boat,  and  then  tack  so 
as  to  rim  on  a  parallel  line  with  the  ship.  The  signal  was  made 
by  Marble  about  nine  o'clock.  It  was  immediately  answered 
from  the  schooner.  The  light  in  the  boat  was  concealed  from 
the  ship,  and  our  own  was  shown  only  for  a  few  seconds,  the 
disappearance  of  Mr.  Marble's  telling  us  in  that  brief  space  that 
our  answer  was  noted.  I  tacked  immediately,  and  taking  in  the 
foresail  stood  on  the  directed  course.  We  had  all  foreseen  a 
change  in  the  weather,  and  probably  a  thunder-squall.  So  far 
from  its  giving  Marble  any  uneasiness  he  anticipated  the  blow 
with  pleasure,  as  he  intended  to  lay  the  Crisis  aboard  in  its 
height.  He  fancied  that  success  would  then  be  the  most  certain. 
His  whole  concern  was  at  not  being  able  to  find  the  ship  in  the 
darkness,  and  it  was  to  obviate  this  difficulty  that  he  undertook 
to  pilot  us  up  to  her  in  the  manner  I  have  just  mentioned. 

After  getting  round,  a  sharp  look-out  was  kept  for  the  light. 
We  caught  another  view  of  it  directly  on  our  weather-beam. 
From  this  we  inferred  that  the  ship  had  more  wind  than  we 
felt,  inasmuch  as  she  had  materially  altered  her  position,  while 
we  had  not  moved  a  mile  since  we  tacked.  This  was  on  the 
supposition  that  Marble  would  endeavor  to  follow  the  move 
ments  of  the  ship.  At  ten  the  tempest  broke  upon  us  with 
tropical  violence,  and  with  a  suddenness  that  took  everybody  by 
surprise.  A  squall  had  been  expected,  but  no  one  anticipated 
its  approach  for  several  hours,  and  we  had  all  looked  for  the 
return  of  the  whaleboat  ere  that  moment  should  come.  But 
come  it  did  when  least  expected,  the  first  puff  throwing  our 
little  schooner  down  in  a  way  to  convince  us  the  elements  were 
in  earnest.  In  fifteen  minutes  after  the  first  blast  was  felt  I  had 
the  schooner  under  a  reefed  foresail,  and  with  that  short  canvas 
there  were  instants,  as  she  struggled  up  to  the  summit  of  the 
waves,  that  it  seemed  as  if  she  were  about  to  fly  out  of  the 
water.  My  great  concern,  however,  was  for  the  boat,  of  which 


292  AFLOAT      AND      ASHOKK. 

nothing  could  now  be  seen.  The  orders  left  by  Marble  antici 
pated  no  such  occurrence  as  this  tempest,  and  the  concert  be 
tween  us  was  interrupted.  It  was  naturally  inferred  among  us, 
in  the  schooner,  that  the  boat  would  endeavor  to  close  as  soon 
as  the  danger  was  foreseen ;  and  as  this  would  probably  be  d(  ne 
by  running  on  a  converging  line,  all  our  efforts  were  directed  to 
keeping  the  schooner  astern  of  the  other  party,  in  order  that  they 
might  first  reach  the  point  of  junction.  In  this  manner  there  was 
a  chance  of  Marble's  finding  the  schooner,  while  there  was  little 
of  our  finding  the  boat.  It  is  true  we  carried  several  lights,  but 
as  soon  as  it  began  to  rain  even  a  bonfire  would  not  have  been 
seen  at  a  hundred  yards.  The  water  poured  down  upon  us,  as 
if  it  fell  from  spouts,  occasionally  ceasing  and  then  returning  in 
streams. 

I  had  then  never  passed  so  miserable  a  night ;  even  that  in 
which  Smudge  and  his  fellows  murdered  Captain  Williams  and 
seized  the  ship,  being  happiness  in  comparison.  I  loved  Marble. 
Ilardy,  loose,  in  some  respects,  and  unnurtured  as  he  was  in 
others,  the  man  had  been  steadily  my  friend.  He  was  a  capital 
seaman,  a  sort  of  an  instinctive  navigator,  true  as  the  needle  to 
the  flag,  and  as  brave  as  a  lion.  Then  I  knew  he  was  in  his  pres 
ent  strait  on  account  of  mortified  feeling,  and  the  rigid  notions 
he  entertained  of  his  duty  to  his  owners.  I  think  I  do  myself 
no  more  than  justice,  when  I  say  that  I  would  gladly  have  ex 
changed  places  with  him  any  time  that  night. 

We  held  a  consultation  on  the  quarter-deck,  and  it  was  deter 
mined  that  our  only  chance  of  picking  up  the  boat  was  by  ro- 
maining  as  nearly  as  possible  at  the  place  where  her  crew  must 
have  last  seen  the  schooner.  Marble  had  a  right  to  expect  this, 
and  we  did  all  that  lay  in  our  power  to  effect  the  object,  waring 
often,  and  gaining  on  our  tacks  what  we  lost  in  coming  round.  In 
this  manner  we  passed  a  painful  and  most  uncomfortable  night ; 
the  winds  howling  about  us  a  sort  of  requiem  for  the  dead, 
while  we  hardly  knew  when  we  were  wallowing  in  the  seas  or 
not,  there  being  so  much  water  that  came  down  from  the  clouds, 
as  nearly  t'j  drown  us  on  deck. 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  293 

At  last  the  light  returned,  and  soon  after  the  tempest  broke, 
appearing  to  have  expended  its  fury.  An  hour  after  the  sun 
had  risen,  we  got  the  trade-wind  again,  the  sea  became  regular 
once  more,  and  the  schooner  was  under  all  her  canvas.  Of 
course,  every  one  of  us  officers  was  aloft,  some  forward,  some 
aft,  to  look  out  for  the  boat ;  but  we  did  not  see  her  again. 
What  was  still  more  extraordinary,  nothing  could  be  seen  of  the 
ship !  We  kept  all  that  day  cruising  around  the  place,  expect 
ing  to  find  at  least  the  boat :  but  without  success. 

My  situation  was  now  altogether  novel  to  me.  I  had  left 
home  rather  more  than  a  twelvemonth  before,  the  third  officer 
of  the  Crisis.  From  this  station,  I  had  risen  regularly  to  be 
her  first  officer ;  and  now,  by  a  dire  catastrophe,  I  found  myself 
in  the  Pacific,  solely  charged  with  the  fortunes  of  my  owners, 
and  those  of  some  forty  human  beings.  And  this,  too,  before 
I  was  quite  twenty  years  old. 

Marble's  scheme  of  attacking  the  ship  had  always  seemed  to 
me  to  be  wild  and  impracticable.  This  was  while  it  was  his 
project,  not  my  own.  I  still  entertained  the  same  opinion,  as 
regards  the  assault  at  sea ;  but  I  had,  from  the  first,  regarded 
an  attempt  on  the  coast  as  a  thing  much  more  likely  to  suc 
ceed.  Then  Emily,  and  her  father,  and  the  honor  of  the  flag, 
and  the  credit  I  might  personally  gain,  had  their  influence  ;  and, 
at  sunset,  all  hope  of  finding  the  boat  being  gone,  I  ordered  sail 
made  on  our  course. 

The  loss  of  the  whaleboat  occurred  when  we  were  about  two 
thousand  miles  from  the  western  coast  of  South  America.  We 
had  a  long  road  before  us,  consequently ;  and,  as  I  had  doubted 
whether  the  ship  we  had  seen  was  the  Crisis,  it  was  necessary 
bo  be  in  motion,  if  any  thing  was  to  be  effected  with  our  old 
enemies.  The  reader  may  feel  some  desire  to  know  in  what 
manner  my  succession  to  the  command  was  received  by  the 
people.  No  man  could  have  been  more  implicitly  obeyed.  I 
was  now  six  feet  and  an  inch  in  height,  of  a  powerful  and  active 
frame,  a  good  seaman,  and  had  the  habit  of  command,  through  a 
twelvemonth's  experience.  The  crew  knew  me,  having  seen  rne 


294  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

tried,  from  the  weather-earings  down  ;  and  it  is  very  likely  I 
possessed  more  of  tlieir  confidence  than  I  deserved.  At  all 
events,  I  was  as  implicitly  obeyed  as  if  I  had  sailed  from  New 
York  at  their  head.  Everybody  regretted  Marble ;  more,  I 
think,  than  we  regretted  poor  Captain  Williams,  though  it  must 
have  been  on  account  of  the  manner  we  saw  him  disappear,  as  it 
might  be,  from  before  our  eyes ;  since,  of  the  two,  I  think  the 
last  was  the  most  estimable  man.  Nevertheless,  Marble  had  hia 
strong  points,  and  they  were  points  likely  to  take  with  seamen; 
and  they  had  particularly  taken  with  us.  As  for  the  four 
Sandwich  Islanders,  I  do  not  know  that  they  occupied  any  of 
our  minds  at  all.  We  had  been  accustomed  to  regard  them  as 
strange  beings,  who  came  from  that  ocean  to  which  they  had 
thus  suddenly  returned. 

Fifteen  days  after  the  loss  of  the  whaleboat,  we  made  the 
peaks  of  the  Andes,  a  very  few  degrees  to  the  southward  of  the 
equator.  From  some  casual  remarks  made  by  the  French,  and 
which  I  had  overheard,  I  had  been  led  to  believe  they  intended 
to  run  for  Guayaquil,  or  its  vicinity  ;  and  I  aimed  at  reaching 
the  coast  near  the  same  point.  We  had  been  in,  ourselves,  at 
several  bays  and  roadsteads,  moreover,  on  this  part  of  the 
shore,  on  our  way  north ;  and  I  felt  at  home  among  them. 
We  had  acquaintances,  too,  who  could  not  fail  to  be  of  use  to 
us;  and  every  thing  conspiied  to  render  this  an  advantageous 
landfall. 

On  the  evening  of  the  twenty-ninth  day  after  quitting  the 
island,  we  took  the  schooner  into  an  open  roadstead,  where  wo 
had.  carried  on  some  extensive  traffic  in  the  ship,  about  eight 
months  before,  and  where  T  fancied  we  should  still  be  recog 
nized.  As  was  expected,  we  had  scarcely  anchored,  before  a 
Don  Pedro  Something,  a  fellow  with  a  surprising  string  of 
names,  came  off  to  us  in  a  boat,  in  order  to  ascertain  who  we 
were,  and  what  we  wanted.  Perhaps  it  would  be  better  to  say, 
what  we  had  that  he  wanted.  I  knew  the  man  at  a  glance, 
having  delivered  to  him,  myself,  three  boat-loads  of  goods,  and 
received  a  small  bag  of  doubloons  in  exchange.  A  very  few 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  295 

words,  half  English,  half  Spanish,  served  to  renew  our  acquaint 
ance ;  and  I  gave  our  old  friend  to  understand  that  I  was  in 
search  of  the  ship,  from  which  I  had  been  separated  on  some 
extra  duty.  After  beating  the  bush  to  discover  all  he  could,  the 
Don  Pedro  gave  me  to  understand  that  a  ship  had  gone  in  be 
hind  an  island  that  was  only  ten  miles  to  the  southward  of  us, 
1  hat  very  afternoon ;  that  he  had  seen  her  himself,  and  had  sup 
posed  she  might  be  his  old  friend  the  Crisis,  until  he  saw  the 
French  ensign  at  her  gaff.  This  was  sufficient,  and  I  made  in 
quiries  for  a  pilot.  A  man  qualified  to  carry  us  to  the  place 
was  found  in  one  of  the  boatmen.  As  I  feared  the  news  of  the 
arrival  of  a  schooner  might  be  carried  to  the  ship,  much  as  we 
had  got  our  intelligence,  no  time  was  lost,  but  we  were  under 
way  by  ten  o'clock.  At  midnight  we  entered  the  pass  between 
the  main  and  the  island ;  there  I  got  into  a  boat,  and  pulled 
ahead,  in  order  to  reconnoitre.  I  found  the  ship  lying  close  un 
der  a  high  bluff,  which  made  a  capital  lee,  and  with  every  sign 
about  her  of  tranquillity.  Still,  I  knew  a  vessel  that  was  always 
in  danger  from  the  guarda-costas,  and  which  relied  on  the  ce 
lerity  of  its  movements  for  its  safety,  would  have  a  vigilant  look 
out.  Accordingly,  I  took  a  cool  and  careful  examination  of  the 
ship's  position,  landing  and  ascending  the  bluff,  in  order  to  do 
this  at  my  ease.  About  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  I  returned 
to  the  schooner. 

When  I  put  my  foot  on  the  Polly's  deck  again,  she  was  quite 
near  the  point,  or  bluff,  having  set  down  toward  it  during  my 
absence.  All  hands  were  on  deck,  armed,  and  in  readiness. 
Expectation  had  got  to  be  so  keen,  that  we  had  a  little  difficulty 
in  keeping  the  men  from  cheering ;  but  silence  was  preserved, 
and  I  communicated  the  result  of  my  observations  in  as  few 
words  as  possible.  The  orders  were  then  given,  and  the  schooner 
was  brought  under  short  sail,  for  the  attack.  We  were  so  near 
our  side  of  the  bluff,  while  the  ship  lay  so .  near  the  other,  that 
my  principal  apprehension  was  of  falling  to  leeward,  which 
might  give  the  French  time  to  muster,  and  recollect  themselves. 
The  canvas,  accordingly,  was  reduced  to  the  foresail,  though  the 


296  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

jib,  mainsail,  and  topsail  were  all  loose,  in  readiness  to  be  set, 
if  wanted.  The  plan  was  to  run  the  ship  aboard,  on  her  star 
board  bow,  or  off-side,  as  respected  the  island ;  and  to  do  this 
with  as  little  of  a  shock  as  possible. 

When  every  thing  was  ready,  I  went  aft,  stood  by  the  man 
at  the  helm,  and  ordered  him  to  bear  up.  Neb  placed  himself 
just  behind  me.  I  knew  it  was  useless  to  interfere,  and  let  the 
fellow  do  as  he  pleased.  The  pilot  had  told  me  the  water  was 
deep,  up  to  the  rocks  of  the  bluff;  and  we  hugged  the  land  as  close 
as  possible,  in  rounding  the  point.  At  the  next  moment  the  ship 
was  in  sight,  distant  less  than  a  hundred  fathoms.  I  saw  we 
had  good  way,  and,  three  minutes  later,  I  ordered  the  foresail 
brailed.  At  the  same  instant  I  walked  forward.  So  near  were 
we,  that  the  flapping  of  the  canvas  was  heard  in  the  ship,  and 
we  got  a  hail.  A  mystified  answer  followed,  and  then  crash 
came  our  bows  along  those  of  the  Crisis.  "  Hurrah !  for  the 
old  craft !"  shouted  our  men,  and  aboard  we  tumbled  in  a  body. 
Our  charge  was  like  the  plunge  of  a  pack  of  hounds  as  they 
leap  through  a  hedge. 

The  scene  that  followed  was  one  of  wild  tumult.  Some 
twenty  pistols  were  fired,  and  a  good  many  hard  blows  were 
struck ;  but  the  surprise  secured  us  the  victory.  In  less  than 
three  minutes,  Talcott  came  to  report  to  me  that  our  lads  had 
complete  possession  of  the  deck,  and  that  the  French  asked  for 
quarter.  At  first,  the  enemy  supposed  they  had  been  seized  by 
a  guarda-costa,  for  the  impression  had  been  general  among  them 
that  we  intended  to  quit  the  island  for  Canton.  Great  was  the 
astonishment  among  them  when  the  truth  came  to  be  known. 
I  heard  a  great  many  "  sacr-r-r-es  /"  and  certain  other  male 
dictions  in  low  French,  that  it  is  scarcely  worth  while  to 
repeat. 

Harris,  one  of  the  Philadelphians,  and  the  man  who  had  got 
us  into  the  difficulty  by  falling  asleep  on  his  watch,  was  killed ; 
and  no  less  than  nine  of  our  men,  myself  among  the  number, 
were  hurt  in  this  brisk  business.  All  the  wounds,  however, 
were  slight;  only  three  of  the  injuries  taking  the  parties  off 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE, 


297 


duty.     As  for  the  poor  fellow  who  fell,  he  owed  his  death  to 
risking  too  much,  in  order  to  recover  the  ground  he  had  lost. 

The  French  fared  much  worse  than  oiirselves.  Of  those  killed 
outright,  and  those  who  died  before  morning,  there  were  no  less 
than  sixteen  ;  our  fellows  having  fired  a  volley  into  a  group  that 
was  rushing  on  deck,  besides  using  their  cutlasses  with  great 
seven  1}  for  the  first  minute  or  two.  This  was  on  the  principle 
that,  the  first  blow  was  half  the  battle.  There  were  few  wounded ; 
most  of  those  who  fell  being  cut  or  thrust  at  by  several  at  the 
same  time — a  species  of  attack  that  left  little  chance  for  escape. 
Poor  Monsieur  Le  Compte  was  found  stone-dead  at  the  cabin 
doors,  having  been  shot  in  the  forehead,  just  as  he  put  his  foot 
on  the  deck.  I  heard  his  voice  once  in  the  fray,  and  feared  it 
boded  no  good ;  but  the  silence  which  succeeded  was  probably 
caused  by  his  just  then  receiving  the  fatal  bullet.  He  was  in 
his  shirt. 


298  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORB. 


CHAPTER  XVIIL 

1ft  Witch.  "Hail!" 

2d  Witch  "Hail!" 

M  Witch.  "  Hail !" 

lift  Witch.  "  Lesser  than  Macbeth,  and  greater." 

2d  Witch.  u  Not  so  happy,  yet  much  happier." 

MACBETH. 

I  HOPE  I  shall  be  believed  in  saying,  if  Marble  had  been  with 
us  when  we  retook  the  ship,  I  should  have  been  perfectly  happy. 
He  was  not,  however,  and  regret  was  left  to  mingle  in  our 
triumph.  I  had  a  hasty  interview  with  Major  Mcrton  that 
night,  and  communicated  all  that  was  necessary  to  quiet  the  ap 
prehensions  of  his  daughter.  Emily  was  in  her  state-room,  and 
had  been  alarmed,  as  a  matter  of  course ;  but  when  she  learned 
that  all  was  over,  and  had  terminated  successfully,  her  fears 
yielded  to  reason.  Of  course,  both  she  and  her  father  felt  it  to 
be  a  great  relief  that  they  were  no  longer  prisoners. 

We  were  no  sooner  fairly  in  command  of  our  old  ship  again, 
than  I  had  all  hands  called  to  get  the  anchor.  We  hove  up,  and 
passed  out  to  sea  without  delay,  it  being  necessary  to  cover  our 
movements  with  as  much  mystery  as  possible,  in  order  to  pre 
vent  certain  awkward  demands  from  the  Spanish  government, 
on  the  subject  of  the  violation  of  neutral  territory.  A  hint  from 
Major  Morton  put  me  on  my  guard  as  respected  this  point,  and 
I  determined  to  disappear  as  suddenly  as  we  ha(J  arrived,  in  or 
der  to  throw  obstacles  in  the  way  of  being  traced,  liy  day 
light,  therefore,  both  the  ship  and  schooner  were  four  leagues 
from  the  land,  and  on  the  "  great  highway  of  nations  ;"  a  road, 
it  may  be  said  in  parsing,  that  was  then  greatly  infested  by  foot 
pads  and  other  robbers. 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  299 

Just  as  the  sun  rose,  we  buried  the  dead.  This  was  done 
dcccntty,  and  with  the  usual  ceremony,  the  triumph  of  victory 
giving  place  to  the  sad  reflections  that  arc  so  apt  to  succeed  to 
the  excited  feelings  of  most  of  our  struggles.  I  saw  poor  Le 
Comptc  disappear  from  sight  with  regret,  and  remembered  his 
recent  hopes,  his  generous  treatment,  his  admiration  of  Emily, 
and  all  that  he  had  so  lately  thought  and  felt,  as  a  warning  of 
the  fragile  nature  of  life,  and  that  which  life  can  bestow.  Thus 
terminated  an  acquaintance  of  a  month ;  but  a  month  that  had 
been  pregnant  with  incidents  of  great  importance  to  myself. 

It  now  became  necessary  to  decide  on  our  future  course.  I 
had  the  ship,  just  as  the  French  got  her  from  us,  with  the  addi 
tion  of  those  portions  of  their  own  cargo  with  which  they  had 
intended  to  trade  on  the  coast  of  South  America.'  These  con 
sisted  of  silks  and  various  fancy  articles,  with  a  little  wine,  and 
would  be  nearly  as  valuable  at  home  as  they  were  in  Spanish 
America.  I  was  strongly  averse  to  smuggling,  and  the  ship 
having  already  followed  out  her  original  instructions  on  this 
point,  I  saw  no  necessity  for  pursuing  the  ungrateful  trade  any 
further.  Could  I  return  to  the  island,  and  get  the  articles  of 
value  left  on  it  by  the  French,  such  as  the  copper  they  had  not 
used,  and  divers  bales  received  from  the  Bombay  ship,  which 
had  been  abandoned  by  us  all  under  a  tent,  more  profit  would 
accrue  .to  my  owners  than  by  any  illicit  commerce  we  could  now 
possibly  carry  into  effect  on  the  coast. 

While  Talcott,  and  the  new  chief  mate,  and  myself  were  dis 
cussing  these  points,  the  cry  of  "  Sail  ho  !"  was  heard.  A  large 
ship  had  suddenly  hove  up  out  of  the  morning's  mist,  within  a 
mile  of  us,  and  I  thought  at  first  we  had  got  under  the  guns  of 
a  Spanish  man-of-war.  A  second  look  at  her,  however,  satisfied 
us  all  that,  though  heavy  and  armed,  she  was  merely  one  of 
those  clumsy  t'raders  that  sailed  periodically  from  the  colonies 
to  Spain.  We  went  to  quarters,  and  cleared  ship,  but  made  no 
effort  to  avoid  the  stranger.  The  Spaniards,  of  the  two,  were 
the  most  uneasy,  I  believe,  their  country  being  then  at  war  with 
England ;  but  we  spoke  each  other  without  coming  to  blows. 


300  AFLOAT      A  X  D      ASHORE. 

As  soon  as  the  strangers  saw  the  American  ensign,  they  express 
ed  a  wish  to  communicate  with  us ;  and,  unwilling  to  let  them 
come  on  board  us,  I  volunteered  a  visit  to  the  Spanish  captain. 
He  received  me  with  formal  politeness,  and,  after  some  prelimi 
nary  discourse,  he  put  into  my  hands  some  American  news 
papers,  which  contained  a  copy  of  the  treaty  of  peace  between 
the  United  States  and  France.  On  looking  over  the  articles  of 
(his  new  compact,  I  found  that  had  our  recapture  of  the  Crisis 
been  delayed  to  that  very  day,  at  noon,  it  would  have  been  ille 
gal.  The  two  nations,  in  fact,  were  at  peace  when  the  French 
seized  the  ship,  but  the  customary  provisions  as  to  captures  in 
distant  seas,  just  brought  us  within  the  saving  clauses.  Such  is 
war,  and  its  concomitants ! 

In  the  course  of  half  an  hour's  conversation,  I  discovered 
that  the  Spaniard  intended  to  touch  at  Valparaiso,  and  called, 
in  order  to  get  men,  his  own  having  suffered,  up  the  coast,  with 
the  small-pox.  His  ship  was  large,  carried  a  considerable  arma 
ment,  and  he  should  not  deem  her  safe  from  the  smaller  English 
cruisers,  unless  he  doubled  the  Cape  much  stronger  handed 
than  he  then  was.  I  caught  at  the  idea,  and  inquired  what  he 
thought  of  Frenchmen  ?  They  would  answer  his  purpose,  for 
France  and  Spain  had  a  common  enemy,  and  nothing  would  be 
easier  than  to  send  the  French  from  Cadiz  to  Marseilles.  A 
bargain  was  consequently  struck  on  the  spot.- 

When  I  got  back  on  board  the  Crisis,  I  had  all  the  prisoners 
mustered  on  deck.  They  were  made  acquainted  with  the  offers 
of  the  Spanish  captain,  with  the  fact  that  peace  now  existed 
between  our  respective  countries,  and  with  the  chance  that  pre 
sented  itself,  so  opportunely,  for  them  to  return  home.  The 
proposition  was  cheerfully  accepted,  any  thing  being  better 
than  captivity.  Before  parting,  I  endeavored  to  impress  on  the 
French  the  necessity  of  prudence  on  the  subject  of  our  recap 
turing  the  Crisis  in  Spanish  waters,  inasmuch  as  the  circum 
stance  might  induce  an  inquiry  as  to  what  took  the  ship  there ; 
it  being  well  understood  that  the  mines  were  the  punishment 
of  those  who  were  taken  in  the  contraband  trade  in  that  quar- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  301 

ter  of  the  world.  The  French  promised  fairly.  Whether  they 
kept  their  words  I  never  knew,  but,  if  they  did  not,  no  conse 
quences  ever  followed  from  their  revelations.  In  such  a  case,  in 
deed,  the  Spanish  government  would  be  very  apt  to  consider 
the  question  one  that  touched  the  interests  of  smugglers  alike, 
and  to  feel  great  indifference  between  the  parties.  At  all 
events,  no  complaints  were  ever  made  to  the  American  govern 
ment  ;  or,  if  made,  they  never  reached  my  ears,  or  those  of 
my  owners.  It  is  most  probable  nothing  was  ever  said  on  the 
subject. 

About  noon  we  had  got  rid  of  our  prisoners.  They  were  al 
lowed  to  take  away  with  them  all  their  own  effects,  and,  as  usu 
ally  happens  in  such  cases,  I  make  little  doubt  some  that  belong 
ed  to  other  persons.  The  ships  then  made  sail,  each  on  her  own 
course  ;  the  Spaniard  running  down  the  coast,  while  we  spread 
our  studding-sails  for  the  island.  As  soon  as  this  was  done,  I 
felt  relieved  from  a  great  burden,  and  had  leisure  to  think  of 
other  matters.  I  ought  to  mention,  however,  that  I  put  the 
second  mate,  or  him  who  had  become  chief  mate  by  my  own 
advancement,  in  command  of  the  "  Pretty  Poll,"  giving  him  two 
experienced  seamen  as  his  own  mates,  and  six  men,  to  sail  her. 
This  made  Talcott  the  Crisis'  first  officer,  and  glad  was  I  to  see 
him  in  a  station  a  little  suited  to  his  attainments. 

That  evening,  just  as  the  sun  was  setting,  I  saw  Emily  again, 
for  the  first  time  since  she  had  stood  leaning  over  the  rail  as 
the  Crisis  shot  through  the  inlet  of  the  lagoon.  The  poor  girl 
was  pale,  and  it  was  evident,  while  she  could  not  but  rejoice  at 
her  liberation,  and  her  release  from  the  solicitations  of  the  un 
fortunate  Le  Compte,  that  his  death  had  cast  a  shade  of  sadness 
over  her  pretty  features.  It  could  not  well  be  otherwise,  the 
female  breast  ever  entertaining  its  sympathies  for  those  who 
submit  to  the  influence  of  its  owner's  charms.  Then,  poor  Le 
Compte  had  some  excellent  qualities,  and  he  treated  Emily,  as 
she  admitted  to  me  herself,  with  the  profoundest  respect  and 
delicacy.  His  admiration  could  scarce  be  an  offence  in  her 
eyes,  however  disagreeable  it  proved,  in  certain  points  of 


302  AF-LOAT      AND      A  all  ORE. 

Our  meeting  partook  of  the  character  of  our  situation,  being 
a  mixture  of  melancholy  and  happiness.  I  rejoiced  in  our  suc 
cess,  while  I  regretted  Marble,  and  even  our  late  enemies,  while 
the  major  and  his  daughter  could  not  but  remember  all  the 
gloomy  particulars  of  their  late,  and,  indeed,  of  their  present 
position. 

"  We  seem  to  be  kept  like  Mahomet's  coffin,  sir,"  Emily 
observed,  as  she  looked  affectionately  at  her  father,  "  suspended 
between  heaven  and  earth — the  Indies  and  America — not  know 
ing  on  which  we  are  to  alight.  The  Pacific  is  our  air,  and  we 
are  likely  to  breathe  it,  to  our  heart's  content." 

"  True,  love — your  comparison  is  not  an  unhappy  one.  But, 
Wallingford,  what  has  become  of  Captain  Marble  in  these  stir 
ring  times?  You  have  not  left  him,  Sancho  Panza  like,  to 
govern  Barritaria,  while  you  have  come  to  recover  his  ship  ?" 

I  told  my  passengers  of  the  manner  in  which  our  old  friend 
had  disappeared,  and  inquired  if  any  thing  had  been  seen  of  the 
whaleboat,  or  the  schooner,  on  the  night  of  the  tropical  tem 
pest. 

"  Nothing,"  answered  the  major.  "  So  far  from  expecting 
to  lay  eyes  on  the  '  Beautiful  Emily,'  again,  we  supposed  you 
would  be  off  for  Canton  by  the  end  of  the  fortnight  that  suc 
ceeded  our  own  departure.  At  least,  that  was  poor  Le  Compte's 
version  of  the  matter.  I  am  certain,  however,  that  no  sail  was 
seen  from  this  ship,  during  the  whole  passage ;  nor  had  we  any 
storm  like  that  you  have  described.  More  beautiful  weather,  I 
never  met  at  sea." 

Upon  this,  I  sent  for  the  log-book,  and  ascertained,  by  day 
and  date,  that  the  Crisis  was  not  within  fifty  leagues  of  the  spot 
where  we  encountered  the  thunder-squall.  Of  course  the  ship 
we  saw  was  a  stranger ;  most  probably  a  whaler.  This  destroy 
ed  any  little  hope  that  was  left  concerning  Marble's  fate. 

But  it  is  time  that  I  should  mention  a  f/alant?rie  of  poor  Lc 
Compte's.  He  was  well  provided  with  shipwrights — better,  in 
deed,  than  with  seamen — as  was  apparent  by  the  readiness  with 
which  he  had  constructed  the. schooner.  During  the. passage  from 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  303 

Marble  Land,  lie  had  set  these  workmen  about  building  a  poop  on 
the  Crisis'  quarter-deck,  and  I  found  the  work  completed.  There 
was  a  very  pretty,  airy  cabin,  with  two  state-rooms  communi 
cating  with  light  quarter-galleries,  and  every  thing  that  is  cus 
tomary  with  such  accommodations.  Furniture  had  been  made, 
with  French  dexterity  and  taste,  and  the  paint  was  just  dry  to 
receive  it.  Emily  and  her  father  were  to  take  possession  of 
these  new  accommodations  the  very  day  succeeding  that  in 
which  the  ship  fell  again  into  our  hands.  This  alteration  was 
not  such  as  I  would  have  made,  as  a  seaman ;  and  I  wondei 
Monsieur  Le  Compte,  who  had  the  gauntlet  to  run  through  the 
most  formidable  navy  in  the  world,  should  have  ventured  on  it, 
since  it  sensibly  affected  the  ship's  sailing  on  a  wind.  But,  now 
it  was  peace,  I  cared  little  about  it,  and  determined  to  let  it 
remain,  so  long,  at  least,  as  Miss  Merton  continued  on  board. 

That  very  night,  therefore,  the  major  occupied  one  of  the  state 
rooms,  and  his  daughter  the  other.  Imitating  poor  Le  Compte's 
gallantry,  I  gave  them  a  separate  table,  though  I  took  quite 
half  my  meals  with  them,  by  invitation.  Emily  did  not  abso 
lutely  dress  my  wound,  a  flesh  injury  in  the  shoulder,  that  office 
falling  to  her  father's  share,  who  had  seen  a  good  deal  of  service, 
and  was  familiar  with  the  general  treatment  of  hurts  of  this 
nature;  but  she  could,  and  did,  show  many  of  those  gentle  and 
seductive  attentions,  that  the  tenderness  of  her  sex  can  alone 
bestow,  with  full  effect,  on  man.  In  a  fortnight  my  hurt  was 
cured,  though  Emily  had  specifics  to  recommend,  and  advice  to 
bestow,  until  we  were  both  ashamed  to  allude  to  the  subject 
any  longer. 

As  for  the  passage,  it  was  just  such  a  one  as  might  be  expect 
ed  to  occur,  in  the  trades  of  the  Pacific.  The  ship  was  under 
studding-sails  nearly  the  whole  time,  making,  day  in  and  day 
out,  from  a  hundred  and  twenty  to  two  hundred  miles  in  the^ 
twenty-four  hours.  The  mates  kept  the  watches,  and  I  had 
little  to  do,  but  to  sit  and  chat  with  the  major  and  his  daugh 
ter,  in  the  cool,  airy  cabin  that  Le  Compte  had  provided  for 
us ;  listen  to  Emily's  piano,  which  had  been  transferred  from 


304  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

the  prize,  and  subsequently  saved  from  the  wreck ;  or  read  aloud 
out  of  some  of  the  two  or  three  hundred  beautifully-bound  and 
sweetly-scented  volumes  that  composed  her  library.  In  that 
day,  people  read  Pope,  and  Young,  and  Milton,  and  Shak- 
speare,  and  that  sort  of  writers ;  a  little  relieved  by  Mrs.  Rad- 
cliffe,  and  Miss  Burney,  and  Monk  Lewis,  perhaps.  As  for 
Fielding  and  Smollet,  they  were  well  enough  in  their  place, 
which  was  not  a  young  lady's  library,  however.  There  were 
still  more  useful  books,  and  I  believe  I  read  every  thing  in 
the  ship,  before  the  voyage  ended.  The  leisure  of  a  sea  life, 
in  a  tranquil,  well-ordered  vessel,  admits  of  much  study ;  and 
books  ought  to  be  a  leading  object  in  the  fitting  out  that  por 
tion  of  a  vessel's  equipment  which  relates  chiefly  to  the  welfare 
of  her  officers  and  crew. 

Time  passed  pleasantly  enough  with  a  young  fellow  who  had 
certainly  some  reason  to  be  satisfied  with  his  own  success  thus 
far  in  life,  and  who  could  relieve  the  tedium  of  ship's  duty  in 
such  society.  I  cannot  say  I  was  in  love,  though  I  often  thought 
of_Emily  when  she  was  not  before  my  eyes,  and  actually  dreamt 
of  her  three  times  in  the  first  fortnight  after  the  recapture  of 
the  ship.  What  was  a  little  remarkable,  as  I  conceive,  I  often 
found  myself  drawing  comparisons  between  her  and  Lucy, 
though  I  hardly  knew  why,  myself.  The  result  was  very  much 
after  this  sort — Emily  had  vastly  the  advantage  in  all  that  re 
lated  to  art,  instruction,  training — I  am  wrong,  Mr.  Hardinge 
had  given  his  daughter  a  store  of  precise,  useful  knowledge,  that 
Emily  did  not  possess ;  and  then  I  could  not  but  see  that  Lucy's 
tact  in  moral  feeling  was  much  of  the  highest  order  of  the  two. 
But  in  purely  conventional  attainments,  in  most  that  relates  to 
the  world,  its  usages,  its  finesse  of  feeling  and  manner,  I  could 
see  that  Emily  was  the  superior.  Had  I  known  more  myself,  I 
could  have  seen  that  both  were  provincial — for  England,  in  1801, 
was  but  a  province  as  to  mere  manners,  though  on  a  larger  scale 
than  America  is  even  now — and  that  either  would  have  been  re 
marked  for  peculiarities  in  the  more  sophisticated  circles  of  the 
continent  of  Europe.  I  dare  say  half  my  own  countrymen  would 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  305 

have  preferred  Lucy's  nature  to  the  more  artificial  manner  of 
Emily ;  but  it  will  not  do  to  say  that  even  female  deportment, 
however  delicate  and  feminine  nature  may  have  made  it,  cannot 
be  improved  by  certain  general  rules  for  the  government  of  that 
which  is  even  purely  conventional.  On  the  whole,  I  wished  that 
Lucy  had  a  little  of  Emily's  art,  and  Emily  a  good  deal  more 
of  Lucy's  nature.  I  suppose  the  perfection  in  this  sort  of  thing 
is  to  possess  an  art  so  admirable  that  it  shall  appear  to  be  na 
ture  in  all  things  immaterial,  while  it  leaves  the  latter  strictly  in 
the  ascendant  in  all  that  is  material. 

In  person,  I  sometimes  fancied  Emily  was  the  superior,  and 
sometimes,  when  memory  carried  me  back  to  certain  scenes  that 
had  occurred  during  my  last  visit  to  Clawbonny,  that  it  was 
Lucy.  In  complexion,  and  perhaps  in  eyes,  the  English  gill 
beat  her  rival,  possibly,  also,  in  the  teeth — though  Lucy's  were 
even  and  white ;  but  in  the  smile,  in  the  outline  of  the  face, 
most  especially  in  the  mouth,  and  in  the  hands,  feet,  and  person 
^enerilly,  I  think  nine  judges  in  ten  would  have  preferred  the 
Amedcan.  One  peculiar  charm  was  common  to  both ;  and  it 
is  a  charm,  though -the  strongest  instance  I  ever  saw  of  it  in 
my  life  was  in  Italy,  that  may  be  said  to  belong,  almost  exclu 
sively,  to  the  Anglo-Saxon  race ;  I  mean  that  expression  of  the 
countenance  which  so  eminently  betokens  feminine  purity  and 
feminine  tenderness  united;  the  look  which  artists  love  to  impart 
to  the  faces  of  angels.  Each  of  the  girls  had  much  of  this,  and 
I  suppose  it  was  principally  owing  to  their  heavenly  blue  eyes. 
I  doubt  if  any  woman  with  black  or  hazel  eyes,  notwithstanding 
all  the  brilliancy  of  their  beauty,  ever  possessed  this  charm  in 
the  higher  degree.  It  belonged  to  Grace  even  more  than  to 
Lucy  or  Emily ;  though  of  the  last  two  I  think  the  English  girl 
possessed  it  in  a  slight  degree  the  most,  so  far  as  it  was  con 
nected  with  mere  shading  and  color,  while  the  American  exhib 
ited  the  most  of  it  in  moments  of  feeling  and  emotion.  Perhaps 
this  last  advantage  was  owing  to  Lucy's  submitting  most  to 
nature  and  to  her  impulses.  It  must  be  remembered,  however, 
that  I  had  not  seen  Lucy  now  for  near  two  years,  and  two  of 


306  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

the  most  important  years  of  a  young  female's  life,  as  respected 
her  personal  appearance. 

As  relates  to  character,  I  will  not  now  speak  as  plainly  as  I 
shall  be  called  on  to  do  hereafter.  A  youth  of  twenty  is  not  the 
best  judge  of  such  things,  and  I  shall  leave  events  to  tell  their 
own  story  in  this  particular. 

We  had  been  at  sea  a  fortnight,  when  happening  to  allude  to 
the  pearl  fishery,  I  bethought  me  of  my  own  prizes.  A  ship 
that  carries  a  numerous  crew,  is  a  sort  of  omnium  gatherum  of 
human  employments.  For  ordinarily  manned  craft,  seamen  are 
necessary  ;  but  ships-of-war,  privateers,  and  letters-of-marque, 
can  afford,  as  poor  Marble  would  express  it,  to  generalize.  We 
had  several  tradesmen  in  the  Crisis — mechanics,  who  found  the 
restraints  of  a  ship  necessary  for  their  own  good — and,  among 
others,  we  happened  to  have  a  goldsmith.  This  man  had  offered 
to  perforate  my  pearls,  and  to  string  them ;  an  operation  to 
which  I  consented.  The  fellow  had  performed  his  task  as  well 
as  could  be  desired,  and  supplying  from  his  own  stores  a  pair  of 
suitable  clasps,  had  formed  the  whole  into  a  simple,  but  as 
beautiful  a  necklace,  as  I  ever  laid  eyes  on.  He  had  put  the 
largest  pearl  of  all  directly  in  the  centre,  and  then  arranged  the 
remainder,  by  placing  several  of  the  smaller  together  separated 
by  one  of  the  second  size,  until  the  whole  formed  a  row  that 
would  much  more  than  encircle  my  own  neck,  and  which,  of 
course,  would  drop  gracefully  round  that  of  a  female. 

When  I  produced  this  beautiful  ornament,  one  that  a  woman 
of  rank  might  have  coveted,  Emily  did  not  endeavor  to  conceal 
her  admiration.  Unaccustomed,  herself,  to  the  higher  associa 
tions  of  her  own  country,  she  had  never  seen  a  necklace  of  the 
same  value,  and  she  even  fancied  it  fit  for  a  queen.  Doubt 
less,  queens  usually  possess  much  more  precious  pearls  than 
those  of  mine,  and  yet  it  was  to  be  supposed  they  would  nut 
disdain  to  wear  even  such  as  they.  Major  Merton  examined 
the  necklace  carefully,  and  I  could  see  by  his  countenance,  he 
was  surprised  and  pleased. 

Oa  the  whole,  I  think  it  may  be  questioned,  if  any  other  HKIT 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  307 

enjoys  as  many  physical  advantages  with  the  same  means,  as 
tlic  Americans.  I  speak  more  of  his  habits,  than  of  his  oppor 
tunities  ;  but  I  am  of  opinion,  after  seeing  a  good  deal  of  various 
parts  of  the  world,  that  the  American  of  moderate  fortune  has 
more  physical  indulgences  than  any  other  man.  While  this  is 
true,  however,  as  a  whole,  there  are  certain  points  on  which  he 
signally  fails.  He  fails  often,  when  it  comes  to  the  mere  out 
ward  exhibition ;  and  it  is  probable  there  is  not  a  single  well- 
ordered  household — meaning  for  the  purposes  of  comfort  and 
representation  united — in  the  whole  country.  The  particular 
deficiency,  if  deficiency  it  be,  applies  in  an  almost  exclusive  de 
gree  to  the  use  of  precious  stones,  jewelry,  and  those  of  the  more 
valuable  metals  in  general.  The  ignorance  of  the  value  of 
precious  stones  is  so  great,  that  half  the  men,  meaning  those 
who  possess  more  or  less  of  fortune,  do  not  even  know  the 
names  of  those  of  the  commoner  sorts.  I  doubt,  if  one  educated 
American  in  twenty  could,  even  at  this  moment,  tell  a  sapphire 
from  an  amethyst,  or  a  turquoise  from  a  garnet;  though  the 
women  are  rather  more  expert  as  lapidaries.  Now,  I  was  a  true 
American  in  this  respect ;  and,  while  I  knew  I  possessed  a  very 
beautiful  ornament,  I  had  not  the  smallest  idea  of  its  value  as 
an  article  of  commerce.  With  the  major  it  was  different.  He 
bad  studied  such  things,  and  he  had  a  taste  for  them.  The 
reader  will  judge  of  my  surprise,  therefore,  when  I  heard  him  say: 

u  That  necklace,  in  the  hands  of  Rundle  and  Bridges,  would 
oring  a  thousand  pounds,  in  London !" 

"  Father  !"  exclaimed  Emily. 

"  I  do  think  it.  It  is  not  so  much  the  size  of  the  pearls, 
though  these  largest  are  not  common  even  in  that  particular, 
but  it  is  their  extreme  beauty ;  their  color  and  transparency — 
tlieir  water,  as  it  is  called." 

"  I  thought  that  a  term  applied  only  to  diamonds,"  observed 
Emily,  with  an  interest  I  wished  she  had  not  manifested. 

"  It  is  also  applied  to  pearls — there  are  pearls  of  what  is  called 
the  '  white  water,'  and  they  are  of  the  sort  most  prized  in  Eu 
rope.  The  '  yellow  water'  are  more  esteemed  among  nations  of 


308  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

darker  skins ;  I  suppose  that  is  the  secret.  Yes,  I  think  if  you 
send  this  necklace  to  London,  Wallingford,  you  will  get  six  or 
eight  hundred  pounds  for  it." 

"I  shall  never  sell  it,  sir — at  least,  not  as  long  as  I  can  avoid  it." 

I  saw  that  Emily  looked  at  me,  with  an  earnestness  for  which 
I  could  not  account. 

"  Not  sell  it !"  repeated  her  father.  "  Why,  what  in  the 
name  of  Neptune  can  you  do  with  such  an  ornament  ?" 

"  Keep  it.  It  is  strictly  my  own.  I  brought  it  up  from  the 
bottom  of  the  sea  with  my  own  hands ;  removed  the 'pearls  from 
what  the  editors  would  call  their  '  native  homes'  myself,  and  1 
feel  an  interest  in  them,  that  I  never  could  feel  in  any  ornament 
that  was  purchased." 

"  Still,  this  will  prove  rather  an  expensive  taste.  Pray,  what 
interest  do  you  obtain  for  money,  in  your  part  of  the  world, 
Wallingford  ?" 

"  Six  per  cent.,  in  New  York,  sir,  perhaps,  on  the  better  sort 
of  permanent  securities." 

"  And  how  much  is  sixty  pounds  sterling,  when  turned  into 
dollars  ?" 

"  We  usually  say  five  for  one,  though  it  is  not  quite  that ; 
from  two  hundred  and  eighty  to  two  hundred  and  ninety,  all 
things  considered — though  two  hundred  and  sixty-six,  nominal 
ly,  or  thereabouts." 

"  Well,  even  two  hundred  and  sixty-six  dollars  a  year  is  a  good 
deal  for  a  young  man  like  you  to  pay  for  the  pleasure  of  saying 
he  owns  a  pearl  necklace  that  he  cannot  use." 

"  But  it  cost  me  nothing,  sir,  and  of  course  I  can  lose  nothing 
by  it." 

"  I  rather  think  you  will  lose  what  I  tell  you,  if  the  ornamcn, 
can  be  sold  for  that  sum.  When  a  man  has  property  from  which 
he  might  derive  an  income,  and  does  not,  he  is,  in  one  sense, 
and  that  the  most  important,  a  loser." 

"  I  have  a  sister,  Major  Morton  ;  I  may  possibly  give  it  tc 
her — or,  should  I  marry,  I -would  certainly  give  it  to  my  wife." 

I  could  see-  a  smile  struggling  about  the  mouth  of  the  major, 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  309 

which  I  was  then  too  young,  and  I  may  add,  too  American,  to  un 
derstand.  The  incongruity  of  the  wife  of  a  man  of  two  thou 
sand,  or  fivc-and-twenty  hundred  dollars  a  year  wearing  two 
years'  income  round  her  neck,  or  of  being  magnificent  in  only 
one  item  of  her  dress,  household,  or  manner  of  living,  never  oc 
curred  to  my  mind.  We  can  all  laugh  when  we  read  of  Indian 
chiefs  wearing  uniform  coats,  and  cocked-hats,  without  any  other 
articles  of  attire ;  but  we  cannot  imagine  inconsistencies  in  our 
own  cases,  that  are  almost  as  absurd  in  the  eyes  of  highly  sophis 
ticated  and  conventional  usages.  To  me,  at  that  age,  there  was 
nothing  in  the  least  out  of  the  way,  in  Mrs.  Miles  Wallingford's 
wearing  the  necklace,  her  husband  being  unequivocally  its  owner. 
As  for  Emily,  she  did  not  smile,  but  continued  to  hold  the  neck 
lace  in  her  own  very  white,  plump  hand,  the  pearls  making  the 
hand  look  all  the  prettier,  while  the  hand  assisted  to  increase 
the  lustre  of  the  pearls.  I  ventured  to  ask  her  to  put  the  neck 
lace  OR  her  neck.  She  blushed  slightly,  but  she  complied. 

"  Upon  my  word,  Emily,"  exclaimed  the  gratified  father, 
"  you  become  each  other  so  well,  that  I  am  losing  a  prejudice, 
and  begin  to  believe  even  a  poor  man's  daughter  may  be  justified 
in  using  such  an  ornament." 

The  sight  was  certainly  sufficient  to  justify  any  thing  of  the 
sort.  The  dazzling  whiteness  of  Miss  Merton's  skin,  the  admira 
ble  outlines  of  her  throat  and  bust,  and  the  flush  which  pleasure 
gave  her  cheeks,  contributed  largely  to  the  beauty  of  the  pic 
ture.  It  would  have  been  difficult  to  say  whether  the  charms 
of  the  woman  ornamented  the  pearls,  or  those  of  the  pearls 
ornamented  the  woman !  I  remember  I  thought,  at  the  time, 
my  eyes  had  never  dwelt  on  any  object  more  pleasing  than  was 
Miss  Merton  during  the  novelty  of  that  spectacle.  Nor  did  the 
pleasure  cease  on  the  instant ;  for  I  begged  her  to  continue  to 
wear  the  necklace  during  the  remainder  of  the  day — a  request 
with  which  she  had  the  good-nature  to  comply.  Which  was 
most  gratified  by  this  exhibition,  the  young  lady  or  myself,  it 
might  be  difficult  to  say ;  for  there  is  a  mutual  satisfaction  in 
admiring,  and  in  being  admired. 


310  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

When  I  went  into  the  cabin  to  say  good  night,  I  found  Emily 
Morton,  with  the  necklace  in  her  hand,  gazing  at  it,  by  the  light 
of  a  powerful  lamp,  with  eyes  as  liquid  and  soft  as  the  pearls 
themselves.  I  stood  still  to  admire  her ;  for  never  before  had  I 
seen  her  so  bewitchingly  beautiful.  Her  countenance  was  usu 
ally  a  little  wanting  in  intellectual  expression,  though  it  possess 
ed  so  much  of  that  which  I  have  described  as  angtlic  ;  but,  on 
this  occasion  it  seemed  to  me  to  be  full  of  ideas.  Can  it  be  pos 
sible,  whispered  conceit — and  what  very  young  man  is  entirely 
free  from  it? — can  it  be  possible  she  is  now  thinking  how  happy 
a  woman  Mrs.  Miles  Wallingford  will  one  day  be  ?  Am  I  in  any 
manner  connected  with  that  meditating  brow,  that  reflecting 
air,  that  fixed  look,  that  pleased,  and  yet  doubting  expression  ? 

"  I  was  about  to  send  for  you,  Captain  Wallingford,"  said 
Emily,  the  instant  she  saw  me,  and  confirming  my  conceited 
conjectures,  by  blushing  deeper  than  I  had  seen  her  before,  in 
the  whole  of  that  blushing,  sensitive,  and  enjoyable  day ; 
"  about  to  send  for  you,  to  take  charge  of  your  treasure." 

"  And  could  you  not  assume  that  much  responsibility,  for  a 
single  .night  ?" 

"  'Twould  be  too  great — it  is  an  honor  reserved  for  Mrs. 
Wallingford,  you  know." 

This  was  smilingly  said,  I  fancied  sweetly  and  kindly,  and 
yet  it  was  said  not  altogether  without  something  that  ap 
proached  to  an  equivoque;  a  sort  of  manner  that  the  deep, 
natural  feeling  of  Grace,  and  needle-like  truth  of  Lucy,  had 
rendered  unpleasant  to  me.  I  took  the  necklace,  shook  the 
young  lady's  hand  for  good  night — we  always  did  that,  on  meet 
ing  and  parting  for  the  day — paid  my  compliments  to  the  father, 
and  withdrew. 

I  was  dressing  next  morning,  when  Neb  came  bolting  into 
iuy  state-room,  with  his  Clawbonny  freedom  of  manner,  his 
eyes  looking  lobsters,  and  his  necklace  of  pearl,  glittering  be 
tween  a  pair  of  lips  that  might  have  furnished  a  cannibal  two 
famous  steaks.  As  soon  as  fairly  established  in  command,  I 
had  brought  the  fellow  aft,  berthing  him  in  the  steerage,  in  or- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  311 

der  to  Lave  the  benefit  of  more  of  his  personal  service  than  1 
could  obtain  while  he  was  exclusively  a  foremast  Jack.  Still, 
he  kept  his  watch  ;  for  it  would  have  been  cruel  to  deprive  him 
of  that  pleasure. 

"  Oh !  Masser  Mile  !"  exclaimed  the  black,  as  soon  as  he 
could  speak  ;  "  'e  boat — 'e  boat !" 

"  What  of  the  boat  ?     Is  any  one  overboard  ?" 

"'E  whaleboat,  sir! — poor  Captain  Marble — 'e  whale-boat,  sir!" 

"  I  understand  you,  Neb — go  on  deck,  and  desire  the  officer 
of  the  watch  to  heave-to  the  ship,  as  soon  as  it  is  proper ;  I  will 
come  up,  the  instant  I  can." 

Here,  then,  I  thought,  Providence  has  brought  us  on  the 
track  of  the  unfortunate  whaleboat ;  and  we  shall  doubtless  see 
the  mutilated  remains  of  some  of  our  old  companions — poor 
Marble,  doubtless,  from  what  Neb  said — well,  the  will  of  God 
be  done.  I  was  soon  dressed  ;  and,  as  I  went  up  the  cabin  lad 
der,  the  movement  on  deck  denoted  the  nature  of  the  excite 
ment  that  now  prevailed  generally,  in  the  ship.  Just  as  I 
reached  the  quarter-deck,  the  main-yard  swung  round,  and  the 
sails  were  brought  aback.  The  whole  crew  was  in  commotion, 
and  it  was  some  little  time  before  I  could  learn  the  cause. 

The  morning  was  misty,  and  the  view  round  the  ship,  until 
within  a  few  minutes,  had  been  confined  to  a  circle  of  less  than 
a  mile  in  diameter.  As  the  sun  rose,  however,  the  mist  broke 
away  gradually,  and  then  the  watch  caught  a  view  of  the  whale- 
boat  mentioned  by  Neb.  Instead  of  being  floating  about  on 
the  ocean,  with  the  remains  of  its  unfortunate  crew  lying  in  its 
bottom,  as  I  had  expected  to  see  it,  when  I  caught  the  first 
glimpse  of  the  unlooked-for  object,  it  was  not  a  mile  distant, 
pulling  briskly  for  us,  and  containing  not  only  a  full,  but  a  strong 
and  an  animated  crew. 

Just  at  that  instant,  some  one  cried  out  "  Sail  ho  !"  and 
sure  enough,  a  ship  was  seen  some  four  or  five  miles  to  lee 
ward,  a  whaler  evidently,  turning  to  windward,  under  easy  can 
vas,  in  order  to  rejoin  her  boat,  from  which  she  had  lately  been 
separated  by  the  uight  and  the  fog.  This,  then,  was  no  more 


012  AFLOAT     AJTD      ASHORE. 

than  a  whaler  and  her  boat ;  and,  on  sweeping  the  horizon  with 
a  ulass,  Talcott  soon  discovered,  a  mile  to  windward  of  the 
boat,  a  dead  whale,  with  another  boat  lying  by  it,  in  waiting  for 
the  approach  of  the  ship,  which  promised  to  fetch  as  far  to 
windward,  on  its  next  tack. 

"  They  desire  to  speak  us,  I  suppose,  Mr.  Talcott,"  I  re 
marked.  "  The  ship  is  probably  an  American ;  it  is  likely  the 
captain  is  in  the  boat,  and  he  wishes  to  send  letters  or  messages 
home." 

A  shout  came  from  Talcott,  at  the  next  instant — then  he 
cried  out — 

"  Three  cheers,  my  lads ;  I  see  Captain  Marble  in  that  boat, 
as  plainly  as  I  see  the  boat  itself!" 

The  cheers  that  followed,  were  a  spontaneous  burst  of  joy. 
They  reached  the  approaching  boat,  and  gave  its  inmate  an 
earnest  of  his  reception.  In  three  more  minutes,  Marble  was 
on  the  deck  of  his  old  ship.  For  myself,  I  was  unable  to  speak; 
nor  was  poor  Marble  much  better  oft',  though  more  prepared  for 
the  interview. 

"  I  knew  you,  Miles ;  I  knew  you,  and  the  bloody  '  Pretty 
Poll,'  "  he  at  last  got  out,  the  tears  running  down  his  cheeks 
like  water,  "the  moment  the  fug  lifted,  and  gave  me  a  fair 
glimpse.  They've  got  her — yes — d — n  her — God  bless  her,  T 
mean — they've  got  her,  and  the  bloody  Frenchmen  will  not  go 
home  with  that  feather  in  their  caps.  Well,  it  couldn't  have 
happened  to  a  cleverer  fellow ;  and  I'm  just  as  happy  as  if  I  had 
done  it  myself!" 

There  he  stood,  sound,  safe,  and  sturdy  as  ever ;  and  the  four 
Sandwich  Islanders  were  all  in  the  boat,  just  as  well  as  if  they 
had  never  quitted  the  ship.  Every  man  of  the  crew  had  to 
shake  hands  with  Marble,  congratulations  were  to  be  exchanged, 
and  a  turbulent  quarter  of  an  hour  passed  before  it  was  possible 
to  get  a  coherent  account  from  the  man  of  what  had  befallen 
him.  As  soon  as  practicable,  however,  he  motioned  for  silence, 
and  told  his  own  story  aloud  for  the  benefit  of  all  hands. 

"  You  know  how  I  left  you,  men,"  Marble  co^umenced,  swab 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORK.  813 

bing  his  eyes  and  cheeks,  and  struggling  to  speak  with  some 
thing  like  an  appearance  of  composure,  "  and  the  errand  on  which 
I  went.  The  last  I  saw  of  you  was  about  half  an  hour  before  the 
gust  broke.  At  that  time  I  was  so  near  the  ship  as  to  make  out 
she  was  a  whaler;  and,  nothing  doubting  of  being  in  sight  of  you 
in  the  morning,  I  thought  it  safer  to  pull  alongside  of  her,  than 
to  try  to  hunt  for  the  schooner  in  the  dark.  I  found  an  old  ship 
mate  in  the  whaler's  captain,  who  was  looking  for  a  boat  that  had 
struck  adrift  the  night  before ;  and  both  parties  were  pleased. 
There  was  not  much  time  for  compliments,  however,  as  you  all 
know.  The  ship  bore  up  to  speak  you,  and  then  she  bore  up, 
again  and  again,  on  account  of  the  squalls.  While  Mr.  Walling- 
ford  was  probably  hugging  the  wind  in  order  to  find  me,  we 
were  running  off  to  save  our  spars ;  and  next  morning  we  could 
see  nothing  of  you.  How  else  we  missed  each  other  is  more 
than  I  can  say ;  for  I've  no  idee  you  went  off  and  left  me  out 
here,  in  the  middle  of  the  ocean" — 

"We  cruised  for  you,  within  five  miles  of  the  spot,  for  a 
whole  day  !"  I  exclaimed,  eagerly. 

"  No,  no,  Captain  Marble,"  the  men  put  in,  in  a  body,  "  we 
did  all  that  men  could  do,  to  find  you." 

"  I  know  it !  I  could  swear  to  it,  without  a  word  from  one 
of  you.  Well,  that's  the  whole  story.  We  could  not  find  you, 
and  I  stuck  by  the  ship  as  a  matter  of  course,  as  there  was  no 
choice  between  that  and  jumping  overboard ;  and  here  has  the 
Lord  brought  us  together  again,  though  we  are  every  inch  of 
five  hundred  miles  from  the  place  where  we  parted." 

I  then  took  Marble  below,  and  related  to  him  all  that  had 
occurred  since  the  separation.  He  listened  with  the  deepest 
interest,  manifesting  the  strongest  sympathy  in  our  success. 
Nothing  but  expressions  of  gratification  escaped  him,  until  I 
remarked,  as  I  concluded  my  account — 

"And  here  is  the  old  ship  for  you,  sir,  just  as  we  lost  her; 
and  glad  am  I  to  see  her  once  more  in  so  good  hands." 

"  Who  put  that  bloody  poop  on  her,  you  or  the  Frenchman, 
Miles  I" 
14 


314  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

"  The  Frenchman.  Now  it  is  peace,  however,  it  is  no  great 
matter ;  and  the  cabin  is  very  convenient  for  the  major  and  his 
daughter." 

"  It's  just  like  'em  !  Spoiling  the  neatest  quarter-deck  on  the 
ocean  with  a  bloody  supernumerary  cabin  !" 

"  Well,  sir,  as  you  are  master  now,  you  can  have  it  all  cut 
away  again,  if  you  think  proper." 

"  I !  I  cut  away  any  thing !  I  take  the  command  of  this 
ship  from  the  man  who  has  so  fairly  won  it !  If  I  do,  may  I 
bed— d!" 

"  Captain  Marble !  You  astonish  me  by  this  language,  sir ; 
but  it  is  nothing  more  than  a  momentary  feeling,  of  which  your 
own  good  sense — nay,  even  your  duty  to  the  owners — will  cause 
you  to  get  rid." 

"  You  never  were  more  mistaken  in  your  life,  Master  Miles 
Wallingford,"  answered  Marble,  solemnly.  "  I  thought  of  all 
his  the  moment  I  recognized  the  ship,  and  that  was  as  soon  as 
I  saw  her,  and  my  mind  was  made  up  from  that  instant.  I 
cannot  be  so  mean  as  to  come  in  at  the  seventh  hour,  and  profit 
by  your  courage  and  skill.  Besides,  I  have  no  legal  right  to 
command  here.  The  ship  was  more  than  twenty-four  hours  in 
the  enemy's  hands,  and  she  comes  under  the  usual  laws  of  re 
capture  and  salvage." 

"But  the  owners,  Captain  Marble — remember  there  is  a  cargo 
to  be  taken  in  at  Canton,  and  there  are  heavy  interests  at  stake." 

"  By  George,  that  would  make  me  so  much  the  more  firm. 
From  the  first  I  have  thought  matters  would  be  better  in  your 
hands  than  mine;  you  have  an  edication,  and  that's  a  wonder 
ful  thing,  Miles.  As  to  sailing  a  ship,  or  stowing  her,  or  taking 
care  of  her  in  heavy  weather,  or  finding  my  way  across  an  ocean, 
I'll  turn  my  back  on  no  man;  but  it's  a  different  thing  when  it 
comes  to  figures  and  calculations." 

"  You  disappoint  me  greatly  in  all  this,  sir ;  we  have  gone 
through  so  much  together" — 

"  We  did  not  go  through  the  recapture  of  this  vessel  together, 
boy." 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  315 

"  But  it  was  your  thought,  and  but  for  an  accident,  would 
have  been  your  deed.'1'' 

"I  don't  know  that ;  I  have  reflected  coolly  in  the  matter, 
after  I  got  over  my  mortification  ;  and  I  think  we  should  have 
been  flogged,  had  we  attacked  the  French  at  sea.  Your  own 
plan  was  better,  and  capitally  carried  out.  Harkee,  Miles,  this 
much  will  I  do,  and  not  a  jot  more.  You  are  bound  to  the 
island,  I  take  it  for  granted,  to  pick  up  odds  and  ends ;  and  then 
you  sail  for  Canton  ?" 

"  Precisely — I  am  glad  you  approve  of  it,  as  you  must  by 
seeing  into  it  so  readily." 

"  Well,  at  the  island,  fill  up  the  schooner  with  such  articles 
as  will  be  of  no  use  at  Canton.  Let  her  take  in  the  copper,  the 
English  goods,  and  the  like  of  that,  and  I  will  carry  her  home ; 
while  you  can  pursue  the  v'y'ge  in  the  ship,  as  you  alone  have  a 
right  to  do." 

No  arguments  of  mine  could  turn  Marble  from  his  resolution. 
I  fought  him  all  day  on  the  subject,  and  at  night  he  was  put  in 
command  of  the  "  Pretty  Poll,"  with  our  old  second  mate  for 
his  first  officer. 


316  AFLOAT     AND     ASHORE. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

M  Thou  shalt  seek  the  beach  of  sand, 
Where  the  water  bounds  the  elfln  land ; 
Thon  shalt  watch  the  oozy  brine 
Till  the  sturgeon  leaps  in  the  light  moonshine." 

DRAKE. 

THERE  is  but  a  word  to  say  ol  the  whaler.  We  spoke  her, 
of  course,  and  parted,  leaving  her  her  boat.  She  passed  half  an 
hour  close  to  us,  and  then  went  after  her  whale.  When  we  lost 
sight  of  her,  she  was  cutting  in  the  fish,  as  coolly  as  if  nothing 
had  happened.  As  for  ourselves,  we  made  the  best  of  our  way 
for  the  island. 

Nothing  worth  relating  occurred  during  the  remainder  of  the 
passage.  We  reached  our  place  of  destination  ten  days  after 
we  found  Marble,  and  carried  both  the  ship  and  schooner  into 
the  lagoon,  without  any  hesitation  or  difficulty.  Every  thing 
was  found  precisely  as  we  had  left  it;  two  months  having  passed 
as  quietly  as  an  hour.  The  tents  were  standing,  the  different 
objects  lay  where  they  had  been  hastily  dropped  at  our  hurried 
departure,  and  every  thing  denoted  the  unchangeable  character 
of  an  unbroken  solitude.  Time  and  the  seasons  could  alone 
have  produced  any  sensible  alteration.  Even  the  wreck  had 
neither  shifted  her  bed,  nor  suffered  injury.  There  she  lay, 
seemingly  an  immovable  fixture  on  the  rocks,  and  as  likely  to 
last  as  any  other  of  the  durable  things  around  her. 

It  is  always  a  relief  to  escape  from  the  confinement  of  a  ship, 
even  if  it  be  only  to  stroll  along  the  vacant  sands  of  some  na 
ked  beach.  As  soon  as  the  vessels  were  secured,  we  poured 
ashore  in  a  body,  and  the  people  were  given  a  holiday.  There 
was  no  longer  an  enemy  to  apprehend,  and  we  all  enjoyed  the 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  31 Y 

liberty  of  movement  and  the  freedom  from  care  that  accompa 
nied  our  peculiar  situation.  Some  prepared  lines  and  com 
menced  fishing ;  others  hauled  the  seine ;  while  the  less  industri 
ously  disposed  lounged  about,  selected  the  fruit  of  the  cocoa-nut 
tree,  or  hunted  for  shells — of  which  there,  were  many,  and  those 
extremely  beautiful,  scattered  along  the  inner  and  outer  beaches, 
or  lying"  visible  just  within  the  wash  of  the  water.  I  ordered  two 
or  three  of  the  hands  to  make  a  collection  for  Clawbonny  ;  pay 
ing  them,  as  a  matter  of  course,  for  their  extra  services.  Their 
success  was  great,  and  I  still  possess  the  fruits  of  their  search, 
as  memorials  of  my  youthful  adventures. 

Emily  and  her  maid  took  possession  of  their  old  tents,  neither 
of  which  had  been  disturbed ;  and  I  directed  that  the  necessary 
articles  of  furniture  should  be  landed  for  their  use.  As  we 
intended  to  remain  eight  or  ten  days  at  Marble  Land,  there  was 
a  general  disposition  to  make  ourselves  comfortable ;  and  the 
crew  were  permitted  to  bring  such  things  ashore  as  they  desired, 
care  being  had  for  the  necessary  duties  of  the  ships.  Since 
quitting  London,  we  had  been  prisoners,  with  the  short  interval 
of  our  former  visit  to  this  place,  and  it  was  now  deemed  wisest 
to  give  the  people  a  little  relaxation.  To  all  this,  I  was  advised 
by  Marble ;  who,  though  a  severe,  and  so  often  seemingly  an 
obdurate  man,  was  in  the  main  disposed  to  grant  as  much  in 
dulgence,  at  suitable  moments,  as  any  officer  I  ever  sailed  with. 
There  was  an  ironical  severity,  at  times,  about  the  man,  which 
misled  superficial  observers.  I  have  heard  of  a  waggish  boat 
swain  in  the  navy,  who,  when  disposed  to  menace  the  crew  with 
some  of  his  official  visitations,  used  to  cry  out,  "  Fellow-citizens, 
I'm  coming  among  you ;"  and  the  anecdote  never  recurs  to  my 
mind,  without  bringing  Marble  back  to  my  recollections.  When 
in  spirits,  he  had  much  of  this  bitter  irony  in  his  manner ;  and 
his  own  early  experience  had  rendered  him  somewhat  insensible 
to  professional  suffering;  but,  on  the  whole,  I  always  thought 
him  a  humane  man. 

We  went  into  the  lagoon,  before  the  sun  had  risen ;  and 
before  the  breakfast  hour  of  those  who  lived  aft,  we  had  every 


818  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

thing  landed  that  was  necessary,  and  were  in  possession  of  OUT 
tents.  T  had  ordered  Neb  to  attend  particularly  to  the  wants 
of  the  Mertons ;  and,  precisely  as  the  bell  of  the  ship  struck 
eight,  which,  at  that  time  of  day,  meant  eight  o'clock,  the  black 
came  with  the  major's  compliments,  inviting  "  Captain"  Walling- 
ford  and  "  Captain1''  Marble  to  breakfast. 

"  So  it  goes,  Miles,"  added  my  companion,  after  promising  to 
join  the  party  in  a  few  moments.  "  This  arrangement  about 
the  schooner  leaves  us  both  captains,  and  prevents  any  thing 
like  your  downhill  work,  which  is  always  unpleasant  business. 
Captain  Marble  and  Captain  Wallingford  sound  well ;  and  I 
hope  they  may  long  sail  in  company.  But  natur'  or  art  never 
meant  me  for  a  captain." 

"  Well,  admitting  this,  where  there  are  two  captains,  one 
must  outrank  the  other,  and  the  senior  commands.  You  should 
be  called  Commodore  Marble." 

"  None  of  your  pleasantry,  Miles,"  returned  Marble,  with  a 
severe  look  and  shake  of  the  head  ;  "  it  is  by  your  favor,  and  I 
hope  by  your  good  opinion,  that  I  am  master  of  even  that  little, 
half-blooded,  part  French,  part  Yankee,  schooner.  It  is  my 
second,  and  I  think  it  will  be  my  last  command.  I  have  gener 
alized  over  my  life,  upon  a  large  scale,  within  the  last  ten  days, 
and  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  Lord  created  me  to  be 
your  mate,  and  not  you  to  be  mine.  When  natur'  means  a 
man  for  any  thing  partic'lar,  she  doesn't  set  him  adrift  among 
human  beings,  as  I  was  set  adrift." 

"  I  do  not  understand  you,  sir — perhaps  you  will  give  me  an 
outline  of  your  history ;  and  then  all  will  be  plain." 

"  Miles,  oblige  me  in  one  particular — it  will  cost  you  no  great 
struggle,  and  will  considerably  relieve  my  mind." 

"You  have  only  to  name  it,  sir,  to  be  certain  it  will  bo 
done." 

"  Drop  that  bloody  sir,  then ;  it's  unbecoming  now,  as  be 
tween  you  and  me.  Call  me  Marble,  or  Moses ;  as  I  call  you, 
Miles." 

"  Well,  be  it  so.     Now  for  this  history  of  yours,  which  you 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  319 

have  promised  to  give  me,  by  the  way,  any  time  these  two 
years." 

"  It  can  be  told  in  a  few  words ;  and  I  hope  it  may  be  of 
service.  A  human  life,  properly  generalized  on,  is  at  any  time 
as  good  as  most  sermons.  It  is  full  of  what  I  call  the  morality 
of  idees.  I  suppose  you  know  to  what  I  owe  my  names  ?" 

"  Not  I — to  your  sponsors  in  baptism,  like  all  the  rest  of  us, 
I  suppose." 

"  You're  nearer  the  truth  than  you  may  imagine,  this  tinns, 
boy.  I  was  found,  a  child  of  a  week  old,  they  tell  me,  lying  in 
a  basket,  one  pleasant  morning,  in  a  stonecutter's  yard,  on  the 
North  River  side  of  the  town,  placed  upon  a  bit  of  stone  that 
was  hewing  out  for  the  head  of  a  grave,  in  order,  as  I  suppose, 
that  the  workmen  would  be  sure  to  find  me,  when  they  muster 
ed  at  their  work.  Although  I  have  passed  for  a  down-easter, 
having  sailed  in  their  craft  in  the  early  part  of  my  life,  I'm  in 
truth  York  born." 

"  And  is  this  all  you  know  of  your  origin,  my  dear  Marble  ?" 

"  All  I  want  to  know,  after  such  a  hint.     A  mai;  is  never 

anxious  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  parents  who  are  afraid  to 

own  him.     I  dare  say,  now,  Miles,  that  you  knew,  and  loved, 

and  respected  your  mother  ?" 

"  Love,  and  respect  her !  I  worshipped  her,  Marble ;  and  she 
deserved  it  all,  if  ever  human  being  did  !" 

"  Yes,  yes ;  I  can  understand  that"  returned  Marble,  making 
a  hole  in  the  sand  with  his  heel,  and  looking  both  thoughtful  and 
melancholy.  "  It  must  be  a  great  comfort  to  love  and  respect  a 
mother !  I've  seen  them,  particularly  young  women,  that  I 
thought  set  quite  as  much  store  by  their  mothers,  as  they 
did  by  themselves.  Well,  no  matter ;  I  got  into  one  of  pocr 
Captain  Robbins's  bloody  currents  at  the  first  start,  and  have 
been  drifting  about  ever  since,  just  like  the  whaleboat  with 
which  we  fell  in,  pretty  much  as  the  wind  blew.  They  hadn't 
the  decency  to  pin  even  a  name — they  might  have  got  one  oir 
of  a  novel  or  a  story-book,  you  know,  to  start  a  poor  fellow  in 
life  with — to  my  shirt ;  no — they  just  set  me  afloat  on  that  bn 


320  AFLOAT      AND      ASH  OR  IT. 

of  a  tombstone,  and  cast  off  the  standing  part  of  what  fastened 
me  to  any  thing  human.  There  they  left  me,  to  generalize  on 
the  'arth  and  its  ways,  to  my  heart's  content." 

"  And  you  were  found  next  morning,  by  the  stonecutter, 
when  he  came,  again,  to  use  his  chisel." 

"  Prophecy  couldn't  have  better  foretold  what  happened. 
There  I  was  found,  sure  enough ;  and  there  I  made  my  first 
escape  from  destruction.  Seeing  the  basket,  which  it  seems  was 
one  in  which  he  had  brought  his  own  dinner,  the  day  before,  and 
forgotten  to  carry  away  with  him,  he  gave  it  a  jerk  to  cast  away 
the  leavings,  before  he  handed  it  to  the  child  who  had  come  to 
take  it  home,  in  order  that  it  might  be  filled  again,  when  out  I 
rolled  on  the  cold  stone.  There  I  lay,  as  near  the  grave  as  a 
tombstone,  when  I  was  just  a  week  old." 

"  Poor  fellow — you  could  only  know  this  by  report,  however. 
And  what  was  done  with  you  ?" 

"  I  suppose,  if  the  truth  were  known,  my  father  was  some 
where  about  that  T'ard;  and  little  do  T  envy  the  old  f-entleman 
his  feelings,  if  he  reflected  much  over  matters  and  things.  1 
was  sent  to  the  almshouse,  however ;  stonecutters  being  nat'- 
rally  hard-hearted,  I  suppose.  The  fact  that  I  was  left  among 
such  people,  makes  me  think  so  much  the  more  that  my  own 
father  must  have  been  one  of  them,  or  it  never  could  have  hap 
pened.  At  all  events,  I  was  soon  rated  on  the  almshouse 
books ;  and  the  first  thing  they  did  was  to  give  me  some  name. 
I  was  No.  19,  for  about  a  week ;  at  the  age  of  fourteen  days  I 
became  Moses  Marble." 

"  It  was  an  odd  selection  that  your  '  sponsors  in  baptism' 
made !" 

"  Somewhat — Moses  came  from  the  scriptur's,  they  tell  me ; 
there  being  a  person  of  that  name,  as  I  understand,  who  was 
turned  adrift  pretty  much  as  I  was  myself." 

"  Why,  yes — so  far  as  the  basket  and  the  abandonment  were 
concerned ;  but  he  was  put  afloat  fairly,  and  not  clapped  on  a 
tombstone,  as  if  to  threaten  him  with  the  grave  at  the  very 
outset." 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  321 

"  Well,  Tombstone  came  very  near  being  my  name.  At  first, 
they  thought  of  giving  me  the  name  of  the  man  for  whom  the 
stone  was  intended  ;  but,  that  being  ZollickofFer,  they  thought 
I  never  should  be  able  to  spell  it.  Then  came  Tombstone, 
which  they  thought  melancholy,  and  so  they  called  me  Marble ; 
consaiting,  I  suppose,  it  would  make  me  tough" 

"  How  long  did  you  remain  in  the  almshouse,  and  at  what 
age  did  you  first  go  to  sea  ?" 

"  I  staid  among  them  the  public  feeds,  until  I  was  eight  years 
old,  and  then  I  took  a  hazy  day  to  cut  adrift  from  charity.  At  that 
time,  Miles,  our  country  belonged  to  the  British — or  they  treated 
it  as  if  it  did,  though  I've  heard  wiser  men  than  myself  say,  it 
was  always  our  own,  the  King  of  England  only  happening  to  be 
our  king — but  I  was  born  a  British  subject,  and  being  now  just 
forty,  you  can  understand  I  went  to  sea  several  years  before  the 
Revolution." 

"  True — you  must  have  seen  service  in  that  wa  •,  on  one  side 
or  the  other  ?" 

"  If  you  say  both  sides,  you'll  not  be  out  of  the  way.  In 
1775,  I  was  a  foretop-man  in  the  Romney  50,  where  I  remaineu 
until  I  was  transferred  to  the  Connecticut  74" — 

"  The  what  ?"  said  I,  in  surprise.  "  Had  the  English  a  line- 
of-battle  ship  called  the  Connecticut  ?" 

"  As  near  as  I  could  make  it  out ;  I  always  thought  it  a  big 
compliment  for  John  Bull  to  pay  the  Yankees." 

"  Perhaps  the  name  of  your  ship  was  the  Carnatic  ?  The 
sounds  are  not  unlike." 

"  Blast  me,  if  I  don't  think  you've  hit  it,  Miles.  Well,  I'm 
glad  of  it,  for  I  run  from  the  ship,  and  I  shouldn't  half  like  the 
thought  of  serving  a  countryman  such  a  trick.  Yes,  I  then  got 
on  board  of  one  of  our  sloops,  and  tried  my  hand  at  settling 
the  account  with  my  old  masters.  I  was  taken  prisoner  for  my 
pains,  but  worried  through  the  war  without  getting  my  neck 
stretched.  They  wanted  to  make  it  out,  on  board  tlie  old  Jar- 
sey,  that  I  was  an  Englishman,  but  I  told  'em  just  to  prove  it. 
Let  'em  only  prove  where  I  was  born,  I  said,  and  I  would  give  it 
14* 


322  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

up.  I  was  ready  to  be  hanged  if  they  could  only  prove  where  I  was 
born.    D — e,  but  I  sometimes  thought  I  never  was  bom  at  all." 

"You  are  surely  an  American,  Marble?  A  Manhattanese, 
born  and  educated?" 

"  Why,  as  it  is  not  likely  any  person  would  import  a  child  a 
week  old,  to  plant  it  on  a  tombstone,  I  conclude  I  am.  Yes,  I 
must  be  that ;  and  I  have  sometimes  thought  of  laying  claim  to 
the  property  of  Trinity  Church,  on  the  strength  of  my  birth 
right.  Well,  as  soon  as  the  war  was  over,  and  I  got  out  of 
prison,  and  that  was  shortly  after  you  were  born,  Captain  Wal- 
lingford,  I  went  to  work  regularly,  and  have  been  ever  since 
sarving  as  dickey,  or  chief  mate,  on  board  of  some  craft  or 
other.  If  I  had  no  family  bosom  to  go  into  as  a  resting-place, 
I  had  my  bosom  to  fill  with  solid  beef  and  pork,  and  that  is  not 
to  be  done  by  idleness." 

"  And  all  this  time,  my  good  friend,  you  have  been  living,  as  it 
might  be,  alone  in  the  world,  without  a  relative  of  any  sort  ?" 

"  As  sure  as  you  are  there.  Often  and  often  have  I  walked 
through  the  streets  of  New  York,  and  said  to  myself,  Among  all 
these  people,  there  is  not  one  that  I  can  call  a  relation.  My 
blood  is  in  no  man's  veins  but  my  own." 

This  was  said  with  a  bitter  sadness  that  surprised  me.  Obdu 
rate,  and  insensible  to  suffering  as  Marble  had  ever  appeared 
to  me,  I  was  not  prepared  to  find  him  giving  such  evidence  c>! 
feeling.  I  was  then  young,  but  now  am  old;  and  one  of  the 
lessons  learned  in  the  years  that  have  intervened,  is  not  to  judge 
of  men  by* appearances.  So  much  sensibility  is  hidden  beneath 
assumed  indifference,  so  much  suffering  really  exists  behind 
smiling  countenances,  and  so  little  does  the  exterior  tell  the  true 
Btory  of  all  that  is  to  be  found  within,  that  I  am  now  slow  to 
yield  credence  to  the  lying  surfaces  of  things.  Most  of  all  had 
I  learned  to  condemn  that  heartless  injustice  of  the  world,  that 
renders  it  so  prompt  to  decide,  on  rumor  and  conjectures,  con 
stituting  itself  a  judge  from  which  there  shall  be  no  appeal,  in 
cases  which  it  has  not  taken  the  trouble  to  examine,  and  in 
which  it  had  not  even  the  power  to  examine  evidence. 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  328 

"  We  are  all  of  the  same  family,  my  friend,"  I  answered,  with 
a  good  design  at  least,  "  though  a  little  separated  by  time  and 
accidents." 

"  Family !  Yes,  I  belong  to  my  own  family.  I'm  a  more 
important  man  in  my  family,  than  Bonaparte  is  in  his,  for  I  am 
all  in  all — ancestors,  present  time,  and  posterity  !" 

"  It  is,  at  least,  your  own  fault  you  are  the  last ;  why  not 
m  irry  and  have  children  ?" 

"  Because  my  parents  did  not  set  me  the  example,"  answered 
Marble,  almost  fiercely.  Then  clapping  his  hand  on  my  shoulder 
in  a  friendly  way,  as  if  to  soothe  me  after  so  sharp  a  rejoinder, 
he  added  in  a  gentler  tone,  "  Come,  Miles,  the  major  and  his 
daughter  will  want  their  breakfasts,  and  we  had  better  join  them. 
Talking  of  matrimony,  there's  the  girl  for  you,  my  boy,  thrown 
into  your  arms  almost  nat'rally,  as  one  might  say." 

"  I  am  far  from  being  so  sure  of  that,  Marble,"  I  answered,  as 
both  began  to  walk  slowly  toward  the  tent.  "  Major  Merton 
might  not  think  it  an  honor,  in  the  first  place,  to  let  his  daugh 
ter  marry  a  Yankee  sailor." 

"  Not  such  a  one  as  myself,  perhaps ;  but  why  not  one  like 
you  ?  How  many  generations  have  there  been  of  you,  now,  at 
the  place  you  call  Clawbonny  ?" 

"  Four,  from  father  to  son,  and  all  of  us  Miles  Wallingfords." 

"  Well  the  old  Spanish  proverb  says  '  it  takes  three  gene^a- 
tions  to  make  a  gentleman ;'  and  here  you  have  four  to  start 
upon.  In  my  family,  all  the  generations  have  been  on  the  same 
level,  and  I  count  myself  old  in  my  sphere." 

"  It  is  odd  that  a  man  like  you  should  know  any  thing  of  old 
Spanish  proverbs !" 

"  What  ?  Of  such  a  proverb,  think  you,  Miles  ?  A  man 
without  even  a  father  or  mother — who  never  had  either,  as  one 
may  say — and  he  not  remember  such  a  proverb  !  Boy,  boy,  I 
never  forget  any  thing  that  so  plainly  recalls  the  tombstone, 
and  the  basket,  and  the  almshouse,  and  Moses,  and  the  names !" 

"But  Miss  Merton  might  object  to  the  present  generation," 
I  resumed,  willing  to  draw  my  companion  from  his  bitler 


324  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

thoughts,  "  however  favorably  disposed  her  father  might  prove 
to  the  last." 

"  That  will  be  your  own  fault,  then.  Here  you  have  her,  out 
on  the  Pacific  Ocean,  all  to  yourself;  and  if  you  cannot  tell 
your  own  story,  and  that  in  a  way  to  make  her  believe  it,  you 
are  not  the  lad  I  take  you  for." 

I  made  an  evasive  and  laughing  answer ;  but,  being  quite 
near  the  tent  by  this  time,  it  was  necessary  to  change  the  dis 
course.  The  reader  may  think  it  odd,  but  that  was  the  very 
first  time  the  possibility  of  my  marrying  Emily  Merton  ever 
crossed  my  mind.  In  London,  I  had  regarded  her  as  an  agree 
able  acquaintance,  with  just  as  much  of  the  coloring  of  ro 
mance  and  of  the  sentimental  about  our  intercourse,  as  is  com 
mon  with  youths  of  nineteen  and  girls  a  little  younger  ;  but  as 
nothing  more.  When  we  met  on  the  island,  Emily  appeared  to 
me  like  a  friend — a  female  friend — and,  of  course,  one  to  be 
viewed  with  peculiarly  softened  feelings ;  still,  as  only  a  friend. 
During  the  month  we  had  just  passed  in  the  same  ship,  this  tie 
had  gradually  strengthened;  and  I  confess  to  a  perfect  con 
sciousness  of  there  being  on  board  a  pretty  girl  in  her  nine 
teenth  year,  of  agreeable  manners,  delicate  sentiments,  and  one 
whose  presence  gave  the  Crisis  a  charm  she  certainly  never 
enjoyed  during  poor  Captain  Williams's  time.  Notwithstand 
ing  all  this,  there  was  something — though  what  that  something 
was,  I  did  not  then  know  myself — which  prevented  me  from 
absolutely  falling  in  love  with  my  fair  guest.  Nevertheless, 
Marble's  suggestion  was  not  unpleasant  to  me ;  but,  on  the  other 
hand,  it  rather  conduced  to  the  satisfaction  of  my  present  visit. 

We  were  kindly  received  by  our  hosts,  who  always  seemed 
to  remember  the  commencement  of  our  acquaintance,  when 
Marble  and  myself  visited  them  together.  The  breakfast  had  a 
little  of  the  land  about  it ;  for  Monsieur  Le  Compte's  garden 
still  produced  a  few  vegetables,  such  as  lettuce,  pepper-grass, 
radishes,  etc. ;  most  of  which,  however,  had  sown  themselves. 
Three  or  four  fowls,  too,  that  he  had  left  on  the  island  in  the 
hurry  of  his  departure,  had  begun  to  lay ;  and  Neb  having 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHOKE.  325 

found  a  nest,  we  had  the  very  unusual  treat  of  fresh  eggs. 
I  presume  no  one  will  deny  that  they  were  sufficiently  "  coun 
try  laid." 

"  Emily  and  myself  consider  ourselves  as  old  residents  here," 
the  major  observed,  as  he  gazed  around  him,  the  table  being 
set  in  the  open  air,  under  some  trees ;  "  and  I  could  almost 
find  it  in  my  heart  to  remain  on  this  beautiful  island  for  the  re 
mainder  of  my  days — quite,  I  think,  were  it  not  for  my  poor 
girl,  who  might  find  the  society  of  her  old  father  rather  dull 
work,  at  her  time  of  life." 

"  Well,  major,"  said  Marble,  "  you  have  only  to  let  your  taste 
be  known,  to  have  the  ch'ice  among  all  our  youngsters  to  be 
her  companion.  There  is  Mr.  Talcott,  a  well-edicated  and  man 
nerly  lad  enough,  and  of  good  connections,  they  tell  me ;  and  as 
for  Captain  Wallingford  here,  I  will  answer  for  him.  My  life  on 
it,  he  would  give  up  Clawbonny,  and  the  property  on  which  he 
is  the  fourth  of  his  name,  to  be  king,  or  Prince  of  Wales  of  this 
island,  with  such  company  !" 

Now,  it  was  Marble,  and  not  I,  who  made  this  speech;  and 
yet  I  heartily  wished  it  unsaid.  It  made  me  feel  foolish,  and  I 
dare  say  it  made  me  look  foolish  ;  and  I  know  it  caused  Emily 
to  blush.  Poor  girl !  she,  who  blushed  so  easily,  and  was  so 
sensitive,  and  so  delicately  situated — she  was  entitled  to  have 
more  respect  paid  to  her  feelings.  The  major  and  Marble,  how 
ever,  took  it  all  very  coolly,  continuing  the  discourse  as  if  noth 
ing  out  of  the  way  had  been  said. 

"  No  doubt — no  doubt,"  answered  the  first ;  "  romance  always 
finds  votaries  among  young  people,  and  this  place  may  well  ex 
cite  romantic  feelings  in  those  who  are  older  than  these  young 
men.  Do  you  know,  gentlemen,  that  ever  since  I  have  known 
this  island,  I  have  had  a  strong  desire  to  pass  the  remainder  of 
my  days  on  it  ?  The  idea  I  have  just  mentioned  to  you,  there 
fore,  is  by  no  means  one  of  a  moment's  existence." 

"I  am  glad,  at  least,  dear  sir,"  observed  Emily,  laughing, 
"  that  the  desire  has  not  been  so  strong  as  to  induce  you  to 
make  formal  proposals  on  the  subject." 


326  AFLOAT      AND     ASHORE. 

"  You,  indeed,  are  the  great  obstacle ;  for  what  could  I  do 
with  a  discontented  girl,  whose  mind  would  be  running  on  balls, 
theatres,  and  other  amusements  ?  We  should  not  have  even  a 
church." 

"  And,  Major  Merton,"  I  put  in,  "  what  could  you,  or  any 
other  man,  do  with  himself,  in  a  place  like  this,  without  com 
panions,  books,  or  occupation?" 

"  If  a  conscientious  man,  Miles,  he  might  think  over  the  past ; 
if  a  wise  one,  he  would  certainly  reflect  on  the  future.  I  should 
have  books,  since  Emily  and  I  could  muster  several  hundred 
volumes  between  us ;  and,  with  books,  I  should  have  compan 
ions.  What  could  I  do  ?  I  should  have  every  thing  to  create, 
as  it  might  be,  and  the  pleasure  of  seeing  every  thing  rising  up 
under  my  own  hand.  There  would  be  a  house  to  construct — 
the  materials  of  that  wreck  to  collect — ropes,  canvas,  timber, 
tar,  sugar,  and  divers  other  valuables  that  are  still  out  on  the 
reef,  or  which  lie  scattered  about  on  the  beach,  to  gather  togeth 
er,  and  save  against  a  rainy  day.  Then  I  would  have  a  thought 
for  my  poultry  ;  and  possibly  you  might  be  persuaded  to  leave 
me  one  or  two  of  these  pigs,  of  which  I  see  the  French  forgot 
half  a  dozen,  in  their  haste  to  cheat  the  Spaniards.  Oh  !  I 
should  live  like  a  prince  and  be  a  prince  regnant  in  the  bargain." 

"  Yes,  sir,  you  would  be  captain  and  all  hands,  if  that  would 
be  any  gratification ;  but  I  think  you  would  soon  weary  of  your 
government,  and  be  ready  to  abdicate." 

"  Perhaps  so,  Miles ;  yet  the  thought  is  pleasant  to  me  ;  but 
for  this  dear  girl,  it  would  be  particularly  so.  I  have  very  few 
relatives ;  the  nearest  I  have  being,  oddly  enough,  your  own 
country  people,  gentlemen.  My  mother  was  a  native  of  Boston, 
where  my  father,  a  merchant,  married  her ;  and  I  came  very 
near  being  a  Yankee  myself,  having  been  born  but  a  week  after 
my  parents  landed  in  England.  On  my  father's  side,  I  have  not 
five  recognized  relatives,  and  they  are  rather  distant;  while 
those  on  my  mother's  are  virtually  all  strangers.  Then  I  never 
owned  a  foot  of  this  earth  on  which  we  live,  in  my  life" — 

"  Nor  I,"  interrupted  Marblo,  with  emphasis. 


AFLOAT     AND     ASHORE.  32? 

"  My  father  was  a  younger  son ;  and  younger  sons  in  Eng 
land  are  generally  lack-lands.  My  life  has  been  such,  and,  I  may 
add,  my  means  such,  that  I  have  never  been  in  the  way  of  pur 
chasing  even  enough  earth  to  bury  me  in ;  and  here,  you  see,  is 
an  estate  that  can  be  had  for  asking.  How  much  land  do  you 
fancy  there  is  in  this  island,  gentlemen  ?  I  mean,  apart  from 
the  beach,  the  sands  and  rocks ;  but  such  as  has  grass,  and 
bears  trees — ground  that  might  be  tilled,  and  rendered  produc 
tive,  without  much  labor  ?" 

"  A  hundred  thousand  acres,"  exclaimed  Marble,  whose  cal 
culation  was  received  with  a  general  laugh. 

"  It  seems  rather  larger  to  me,  sir,"  I  answered,  "  than  the 
farm  at  Clawbonny.  Perhaps  there  may  be  six  or  eight  hun 
dred  acres  of  the  sort  of  land  you  mention ;  though  the  whole 
island  must  contain  several  thousands — possibly  four  or  five." 

"  Well,  four  or  five  thousand  acres  of  land  make  a  good  es 
tate — but,  as  I  see  Emily  is  getting  frightened,  and  is  nervous 
under  the  apprehension  of  falling  heir  to  such  extensive  posses 
sions,  I  will  say  no  more  about  them." 

No  more  was  said,  and  we  finished  our  breakfasts,  conversing 
of  the  past,  rather  than  of  the  future.  The  major  and  Marble 
went  to  stroll  along  the  groves,  in  the  direction  of  the  wreck ; 
while  I  persuaded  Emily  to  put  on  her  hat  and  stroll — the  other 
way. 

"  This  is  a  singular  notion  of  my  father's,"  my  fair  companion 
remarked,  after  a  moment  of  musing ;  "  nor  is  it  the  first  time, 
I  do  assure  you,  on  which  he  has  mentioned  it.  While  we  were 
here  before,  he  spoke  of  it  daily." 

"  The  scheme  might  do  well  enough  for  two  ardent  lovers," 
said  I,  laughing;  "but  would  scarcely  be  wise  for  an  elderly 
gentleman  and  his  daughter.  I  can  imagine  that  two  young 
people,  warmly  attached  to  each  other,  might  get  along  in  such 
a  place  for  a  year  or  two,  without  hanging  themselves ;  but  I 
fancy  even  love  would  tire  out,  after  a  while,  and  they  would  set 
about  building  a  boat,  in  which  to  be  off." 

"  You  are  not  very  romantic,  I  perceive,  Mr.  Wallingford,'* 


828  AFLOAT      AND     ASHORE. 

Emily  answered,  and  I  thought  a  little  reproachfully.  "  Now, 
I  own  that  to  my  taste,  I  could  be  happy  anywhere  —  here, 
as  well  as  in  London,  surrounded  by  my  nearest  and  dearest 
friends." 

"  Surrounded  !  Ay,  that  would  be  a  very  different  matter. 
Let  me  have  your  father,  yourself,  honest  Marble,  good  Mr. 
Hardinge,  Rupert,  dear,  dear  Grace,  and  Lucy,  with  Neb,  and 
some  others  of  my  own  blacks,  and  I  should  ask  no  better 
home.  The  island  is  only  in  twenty,  has  plenty  of  shade,  some 
delicious  fruits,  and  would  be  easily  filled — one  might  do  here,  I 
acknowledge,  and  it  would  be  pleasant  to  found  a  colony." 

"  And  who  are  all  these  people  you  love  so  well,  Mr.  Walling- 
ford,  that  their  presence  would  make  a  desert  island  pleasant  ?" 

"  In  the  first  place,  Major  Merton  is  a  half-pay  officer  in  the 
British  service,  who  has  been  appointed  to  some  civil  station  in 
India,"  I  answered,  gallantly.  "  He  is  a  respectable,  agreeable, 
well-informed  gentleman,  a  little  turned  of  fifty,  who  might  act 
as  judge  and  chancellor.  Then  he  has  a  daughter" — 

"  I  know  more  of  her  and  her  bad  qualities  than  you  do 
yourself,  sire;  but  who  are  Rupert,  and  Grace,  and  Lucy — dear, 
dear  Grace,  especially  ?" 

"  Dear,  dearest  Grace,  madam,  is  my  sister — my  only  sister 
— all  the  sister  I  ever  can  have,  either  by  marriage,  or  any  other 
means,  and  sisters  are  usually  dear  to  young  men,  I  believe." 

"  Well — I  knew  you  had  a  sister,  and  a  dear  sister,  but  I  also 
knew  you  had  but  one.  Now  as  to  Rupert" — 

"  He  is  not  another  sister,  you  may  be  well  assured.  I  have 
mentioned  to  you  a  friend  from  childhood,  who  went  to  sea  with 
me,  at  first,  but,  disliking  the  business,  has  since  commenced  the 
study  of  the  law." 

"  That,  then,  is  Rupert.  I  remember  some  such  touches  of 
his  character,  but  did  not  know  the  name.  Now,  proceed  on  to 
the  next" — 

"  What,  Neb !  You  know  him  almost  as  well  as  I  do  my 
self.  He  is  yonder  feeding  the  chickens,  and  will  save  his  pas 
sage  money." 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  320 

"  But  you  spoke  of  another — that  is — was  there  not  a  Mr.  — 
Hardinge  was  the  name,  I  think  ?" 

"  Oh !  true — I  forgot  Mr.  Hardinge  and  Lucy,  though  they 
would  be  two  of  the  most  important  of  the  colonists.  Mr. 
Hardinge  is  my  guardian,  and  will  continue  to  he  so  a  few 
months  longer,  and  Lucy  is  his  daughter — Rupert's  sister.  The 
old  gentleman  is  a  clergyman,  and  would  help  us  to  keep  Sun 
days  as  one  should,  and  might  perform  the  marriage  ceremony, 
should  it  ever  be  required." 

"  Not  much  danger  of  that,  I  fancy,  on  your  desert  island — 
your  Barrataria,"  observed  Miss  Merton,  quickly. 

I  cannot  explain  the  sensitiveness  of  certain  young  ladies  on 
such  points,  unless  it  be  through  their  consciousness.  Now, 
had  I  been  holding  this  idle  talk  with  Lucy,  the  dear,  honest 
creature  would  have  laughed,  blushed  ever  so  little,  possibly, 
and  nodded  her  head  in  frank  assent;  or,  perhaps,  she  would 
have  said  "  oh !  certainly,"  in  a  way  to  show  that  she  had  no 
desire  to  affect  so  silly  a  thing  as  to  wish  one  to  suppose  she 
thought  young  people  would  not  get  married  at  Marble  Land,  as 
well  as  Clawbonny,  or  New  York.  Miss  Merton,  however,  saw 
fit  to  change  the  discourse,  which  soon  turned  on  her  father's 
health.  On  this  subject  she  was  natural  and  full  of  strong  affec 
tion.  She  was  anxious  to  get  the  major  out  of  the  warm  lati 
tudes.  His  liver  had  been  touched  in  the  West  Indies,  but  he 
had  hoped  that  he  was  cured,  or  he  never  would  have  accepted 
the  Bombay  appointment.  Experience,  however,  was  giving 
reason  to  suspect  the  contrary,  and  Emily  wished  him  in  a  cold 
climate  as  soon  as  possible,  and  that  with  an  earnestness  that 
showed  she  regarded  all  that  had  been  said  about  the  island  a« 
sheer  pleasantry.  ^  We  continued  the  conversation  for  an  hour, 
when,  returning  to  the  tent,  I  left  my  fair  companion  with  a 
promise  to  be  as  active  as  possible,  in  order  to  carry  the  ship 
into  a  higher  latitude.  Still  I  did  not  deem  the  island  a  partic 
ularly  dangerous  place,  notwithstanding  its  position ;  the  trades 
and  sea  breezes,  with  its  ample  shades,  rendering  the  spot  one 
of  the  most  delightful  tropical  abodes  I  had  ever  been  in. 


830  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

After  quitting  Emily,  I  went  to  join  Marble,  who  was  alone, 
pacing  a  spot  beneath  the  trees,  that  poor  Le  Compte  had  worn 
into  a  path,  and  which  he  had  himself  called  his  "  quarter-deck." 

"  This  Major  Merton  is  a  sensible  man,  Miles,"  the  ex-mate 
began,  as  soon  as  I  dropped  in  alongside  of  him,  and  joined  in 
his  semi-trot;  "a  downright,  sensible  sort  of  a  philosopher-like 
man,  accordin'  to  my  notion." 

"  What  has  he  been  telling  you,  now,  that  has  seized  your 
fancy  so  much  stronger  than  common  ?" 

"  Why,  I  was  thinking  of  this  idee  of  his,  to  remain  on  the 
island,  and  pass  the  remainder  of  the  v'y'ge  here,  without  slav 
ing  day  and  night  to  get  up  two  or  three  rounds  of  the  ladder 
of  promotion,  only  to  fall  down  again." 

"And  did  the  major  speak  of  such  things  ?  I  know  of  no  dis 
appointments  of  his,  to  sour  him  with  the  world." 

"  I  was  not  speaking  for  Major  Merton,  but  for  myself,  Miles. 
To  tell  you  the  truth,  boy,  this  idee  seems  just  suited  to  me,  and 
I  have  almost  made  up  my  mind  to  remain  behind  here,  when 
you  sail." 

I  looked  at  Marble  with  astonishment ;  the  subject  on  which 
the  major  had  spoken  in  pleasantry,  rather  than  with  any  real 
design  of  carrying  his  project  into  execution,  was  one  that  my 
old  messmate  regarded  seriously  !  I  had  noted  the  attention 
with  which  he  listened  to  our  discourse,  during  breakfast,  and 
the  strong  feeling  with  which  he  spoke  at  the  time,  but  had 
no  notion  of  the  cause  of  either.  I  knew  the  man  too  well,  not 
to  understand  at  once  that  he  was  in  sober  earnest,  and  had  too 
much  experience  of  his  nature,  not  to  foresee  the  greatest  difficul 
ty  in  turning  him  from  his  purpose.  I  understood  the  true  mo 
tive  to  be  professional  mortification  at  all  that  occurred  since  he 
had  succeeded  Captain  Williams  in  command ;  for  Marble  was 
much  too  honest  and  too  manly,  to  think  for  a  moment  of  con 
cealing  his  own  misfortunes  behind  the  mantle  offered  by  my 
success. 

"  You  have  not  thought  of  this  matter  sufficiently,  my  friend," 
I  answered,  evasively,  knowing  the  folly  of  attempting  to  laugh 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  331 

this  matter  off ;  "  when  you  have  slept  on  it  a  night,  you  will 
see  things  differently." 

"  I  fancy  not,  Miles.  Here  is  all  I  want,  and  just  what  I 
want.  After  you  have  taken  away  every  thing  that  can  be  re 
quired  for  the  vessels,  or  desirable  to  the  owners,  there  will  be 
enough  left  to  keep  me  a  dozen  lives." 

"  It  is  not  on  account  of  food,  that  I  speak — the  island  alone, 
in  its  fruits,  fish,  and  birds,  to  say  nothing  as  to  the  seeds,  and 
fowls,  and  pigs  we  could  leave  you,  would  be  sufficient  to  keep 
fifty  men ;  bat  think  of  the  solitude,  the  living  without  object, 
the  chances  of  sickness,  the  horrible  death  that  would  follow  to 
one  unable  to  rise  and  assist  himself,  and  all  the  other  miseries 
of  being  alone.  Depend  on  it,  man  was  not  created  to  live 
alone.  Society  is  indispensable  to  him,  and" — 

"  I  have  thought  of  it  all,  and  find  it  entirely  to  my  taste.  I 
tell  you,  Miles,  I  should  be  exactly  in  my  sphere  in  this  island, 
and  that  as  a  hermit.  I  do  not  say  I  should  not  like  some  com 
pany,  if  it  could  be  yourself,  or  Talcott,  or  the  major,  or  even 
Neb  ;  but  no  company  is  better  than  bad ;  and  as  for  asking,  or 
allowing  any  one  to  stay  with  me,  it  is  out  of  the  question.  T 
did,  at  first,  think  of  keeping  the  Sandwich  Islanders ;  but  it 
would  be  bad  faith,  and  they  would  not  be  likely  to  remain 
quiet  after  the  ship  had  sailed.  No,  I  will  remain  alone.  You 
will  probably  report  the  island  when  you  get  home,  and  that 
will  induce  some  vessel,  which  may  be  passing  near,  to  look  for 
me,  so  I  shall  hear  of  you  all,  every  four  or  five  years." 

"  Gracious  Heaven !  Marble,  you  cannot  be  serious  in  so  mad 
a  design  ?" 

"  Just  look  at  my  situation,  Miles,  and  decide  for  yourself.  1 
am  without  a  fiiend  on  earth — I  mean  nat'ral  friend — I  know 
what  sort  of  friend  you  are,  and  parting  with  you  will  be  the 
toughest  of  all — but  I  have  not  a  relation  on  the  wide  earth — 
no  property,  no  home,  no  one  to  wish  to  see  me  return,  not 
even  a  cellar  to  lay  my  head  in.  To  me  all  places  are  alike, 
with  the  exception  of  this,  which,  having  discovered,  I  look 
upon  as  my  own." 


332  AFLOAT      AND      ASHOKE. 

"  You  have  a  country,  Marble,  and  that  is  the  next  thing  to 
family  and  home — overshadows  all." 

"  Ay,  and  I'll  have  a  country  here.  This  will  be  America, 
having  been  discovered  by  Americans,  and  in  their  possession. 
You  will  leave  me  the  buntin',  and  I'll  show  the  stars  and  stripes 
of  a  4th  of  July,  just  as  you  will  show  'em  in  some  other  part 
of  the  world.  I  was  born  Yankee,  at  least,  and  I'll  die  Yankee. 
I've  sailed  under  that  flag,  boy,  ever  since  the  year  '77,  and  will 
not  sail  under  another,  you  may  depend  on  it." 

"I  never  could  justify  myself  to  the  laws  for  leaving  a  man 
behind  me  in  such  a  place." 

"  Then  I'll  run,  and  that  will  make  all  right.  But  you  know 
well  enough,  boy,  that  leaving  a  captain  is  one  thing,  and  leav 
ing  a  man  another." 

"And  what  shall  I  tell  all  your  acquaintances,  those  who  have 
sailed  with  you  so  often  and  so  long,  has  become  of  their  old 
shipmate  ?" 

"  Tell  'em  that  the  man  who  was  once  found  is  now  lost,11 
answered  Marble,  bitterly.  "  But  I'm  not  such  a  fool  as  to 
think  myself  of  so  much  importance  as  you  seem  to  imagine. 
The  only  persons  who  will  consider  the  transaction  of  any  inter 
est  will  be  the  newspaper  gentry,  and  they  will  receive  it  only 
as  news,  and  thank  you  about  half  as  much  as  they  would  for  a 
murder  or  a  robbery,  or  the  poisoning  of  a  mother  and  six  little 
children." 

"  I  think,  after  all,  you  would  scarcely  find  the  means  of  sup 
porting  yourself,"  I  added,  looking  round  in  affected  doubt ;  for 
I  felt  at  each  instant  how  likely  my  companion  was  to  adhere 
to  his  notion,  and  this  from  knowing  him  so  well.  "  I  doubt  if 
the  cocoa  is  healthy  all  the  year  round,  and  there  must  be  sea 
sons  when  the  trees  do  not  bear." 

"  Have  no  fear  of  that  sort.  I  have  my  own  fowling-piece, 
and  you  will  leave  me  a  musket  or  two,  with  some  ammunition. 
Transient  vessels,  now  the  island  is  known,  will  keep  up  the  sup 
ply.  There  are  two  hens  setting  at  this  moment,  and  a  third 
has  actually  hatched.  Then  one  of  the  men  tells  me  there  is  a 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  333 

litter  of  pigs  near  the  mouth  of  the  bay.  As  for  the  hogs  and 
the  poultry,  the  shell-fish  and  berries  will  keep  them ;  but  there 
are  fifteen  hogsheads  of  sugar  on  the  beach,  besides  thirty  or 
forty  more  in  the  wreck,  and  all  above  water.  There  are  casks 
of  beans  and  peas,  the  sea-stores  of  the  French,  besides  lots  of 
other  things.  I  can  plant,  and  fish,  and  shoot,  and  make  a  fence 
from  the  ropes  of  the  wreck,  and  have  a  large  garden,  and  all 
that  a  man  can  want.  Our  own  poultry,  you  know,  has  long 
been  out,  but  there  is  still  a  bushel  of  Indian  corn  left  that  was 
intended  for  their  feed.  One  quart  of  that  will  make  me  a  rich 
man  in  such  a  climate  as  this,  and  with  soil  like  that  on  the  flat 
between  the  two  groves.  I  own  a  chest  of  tools,  and  am,  ship- 
fashion,  both  a  tolerable  carpenter  and  blacksmith ;  and  I  do  not 
see  that  I  shall  want  for  any  thing.  You  must  leave  half  the 
things  that  are  scattered  aboiit,  and  so  far  from  being  a  man  to 
be  pitied  I  shall  be  a  man  to  be  envied.  Thousands  of  wretches 
in  the  greatest  thoroughfares  of  London  would  gladly  exchange 
their  crowded  streets  and  poverty  for  my  solitude  and  abun 
dance." 

I  began  to  think  Marble  was  not  in  a  state  of  mind  to  reason 
with,  and  changed  the  subject.  The  day  passed  in  recreation  as 
had  been  intended,  and  next  morning  we  set  about  filling  up  the 
schooner.  We  struck  in  ah1  the  copper,  all  the  English  goods, 
and  such  portions  of  the  Frenchman's  cargo  as  wou  ^  be  most 
valuable  in  America.  Marble,  however,  had  announces  •>  others 
his  determination  to  remain  behind,  to  abandon  the  seas,  and  to 
turn  hermit.  As  his  first  step,  he  gave  up  the  command  of  the 
Pretty  Poll,  and  I  was  obliged  to  restore  her,  again,  to  our  old 
third  mate,  who  was  every  way  competent  to  take  care  of  her. 
At  the  end  of  the  week  the  schooner  was  ready,  and  despairing 
of  getting  Marble  off  in  her,  I  ordered  her  to  sail  for  home,  via 
Cape  Horn,  giving  especial  instructions  not  to  attempt  Magellan. 
I  wrote  to  the  owners,  furnishing  an  outline  of  all  that  had  oc 
curred,  and  of  my  future  plans,  simply  remarking  that  Mr.  Mar 
ble  had  declined  acting,  out  of  motives  of  delicacy,  since  the 
recapture  of  the  ship,  and  that  in  future  their  interests  must 


334  AFLOAT     AND      AS  HO  HE. 

remain  in  rny  care.  With  these  dispatches  the  schooner  sailed. 
Marble  and  I  watched  her  until  her  sails  became  a  white  speck 
on  the  ocean,  after  which  she  suddenly  disappeared. 

As  for  the  ship,  she  was  all  ready;  and  my  only  concern  now 
was  in  relation  to  Marble.  I  tried  the  influence  of  Major  Mer- 
ton ;  but,  unfortunately,  that  gentleman  had  already  said  too 
much  in  favor  of  our  friend's  scheme,  in  ignorance  of  its  effect, 
to  gain  much  credit  when  he  turned  round,  and  espoused  the 
other  side.  The  arguments  of  Emily  failed,  also.  In  fact,  it 
was  not  reason,  but  feeling  that  governed  Marble ;  and,  in  a 
bitter  hour,  he  had  determined  to  pass  the  remainder  of  his  days 
where  he  was.  Finding  all  persuasion  useless,  and  the  season 
approaching  when  the  winds  rendered  it  necessary  to  sail,  I  was 
compelled  to  yield,  or  resort  to  force.  The  last  I  was  reluctant 
to  think  of,  nor  was  I  certain  the  men  would  have  obeyed  me 
had  I  ordered  them  to  use  it.  Marble  had  been  their  command 
er  so  long,  that  he  might,  at  any  moment,  have  reassumed  the 
charge  of  the  ship ;  and  it  was  not  probable  his  orders  would 
have  been  braved  under  any  circumstances  that  did  not  involve 
illegality  or  guilt.  After  a  consultation  with  the  major,  I  found 
it  necessary  to  yield  to  this  whim,  though  I  did  so  with  greater 
reluctance  than  I  ever  experienced  oh  any  other  occasion. 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  335 


CHAPTER  XX. 

"  Pass  on,  relentless  world  I    I  grieve 

No  more  for  all  that  thou  hast  riven  1 
Pass  on,  in  God's  name — only  leave 
The  things  thou  never  yet  hast  given." 

LITST. 

AFTER  every  means  had  been  uselessly  exhausted  to  persuade 
Marble  from  his  design,  it  only  remained  to  do  all  we  could  to 
make  him  comfortable  and  secure.  Of  enemies,  there  was  no 
danger,  and  care  was  not  necessary  for  defence.  We  got  to 
gether,  however,  some  of  the  timber,  planks,  and  other  materials 
that  were  remaining  at  the  ship-yard,  and  built  him  a  cabin, 
that  offered  much  better  shelter  against  the  tropical  storms  that 
sometimes  prevailed,  than  any  tent  could  yield.  We  made  this 
cabin  as  wide  as  a  plank  is  long,  or  twelve  feet,  and  some  five 
or  six  feet  longer.  It  was  well  sided  and  tightly  roofed,  having 
three  windows  and  a  door.  The  lights  of  the  wreck  supplied 
the  first,  and  her  cabin  door  the  last.  We  had  hinges,  and 
every  thing  that  was  necessary  to  keep  things  in  their  place. 
There  was  no  chimney  required,  fire  being  unnecessary  for 
warmth  in  that  climate ;  but  the  French  had  brought  their  ca 
boose  from  the  wreck,  and  this  we  placed  under  a  proper  cover 
ing  at  a  short  distance  from  the  hut,  the  strength  of  one  man 
being  insufficient  to  move  it.  We  also  enclosed,  by  means  of 
ropes,  and  posts  made  of  the  ribs  of  the  wreck,  a  plot  of  ground 
of  two  acres  in  extent,  where  the  land  was  the  richest  and  un 
shaded,  so  as  to  prevent  the  pigs  from  injuring  the  vegetable?.; 
and,  poor  Marble  knowing  little  of  gardening,  I  had  a  melan 
choly  pleasure  in  seeing  the  whole  piece  dug,  or  rather  hoed  up, 
and  sown  and  planted  myself,  before  we  sailed.  We  put  io 


3-?b  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

corn,  potatoes,  peas,  beans,  lettuce,  radishes,  and  several  other 
things,  of  which  we  found  the  seeds  in  the  French  garden.  We 
took  pains,  moreover,  to  transport  from  the  wreck,  many  articles 
that  it  was  thought  might  prove  of  use,  though  they  were  too 
heavy  for  Marble  to  handle.  As  there  were  near  forty  of  us, 
all  busy  in  this  way  for  three  or  four  days,  we  effected  a  great 
deal,  and  may  be  said  to  have  got  the  island  in  order.  I  felt 
the  same  interest  in  the  duty,  that  I  should  in  bestowing  a  child 
for  life. 

Marble,  himself,  was  not  much  among  us  all  this  time.  He 
rather  complained  that  I  should  leave  him  nothing  to  do,  though 
I  could  see  he  was  touched  by  the  interest  we  manifested  in  his 
welfare.  The  French  launch  had  been  used  as  the  means  of 
conveyance  between  the  wreck  and  the  beach,  and  we  found  it 
where  it  had  been  left  by  its  original  owners,  anchored  to  lee 
ward  of  the  island,  and  abreast  of  the  ship.  It  was  the  last 
thing  I  meddled  with,  and  it  was  my  care  to  put  it  in  such  a 
state  that,  at  need,  it  might  be  navigated  across  that  tranquil 
sea,  to  some  other  island,  should  Marble  feel  a  desire  to  abandon 
his  solitude.  The  disposition  I  made  of  the  boat  was  as  fol 
lows  : — 

The  launch  was  large  and  coppered,  and  it  carried  two  lug- 
sails.  I  had  both  masts  stepped,  with  the  yards,  sails,  sheets, 
etc.,  prepared,  and  put  in  their  places ;  a  stout  rope  was  next 
carried  round  the  entire  boat,  outside,  and  a  few  inches  below 
the  gunwale,  where  it  was  securely  nailed.  From  this  rope,  led 
a  number  of  lanyards,  with  eyes  turned  into  their  ends.  Through 
these  eyes  I  rove  a  sort  of  ridge-rope,  leading  it  also  through 
the  eyes  of  several  stancheons  that  were  firmly  stepped  on  the 
thwarts.  The  effect,  when  the  ridge-rope  was  set  up,  was  to 
give  the  boat  the  protection  of  this  waist-cloth,  which  inclined 
in-board,  however,  sufficiently  to  leave  an  open  passage  between 
the  two  sides,  of  only  about  half  the  beam  of  the  boat.  To  the 
ridge-rope  and  lanyards,  I  had  tarpaulins  firmly  attached,  tack 
ing  their  lower  edges  strongly  to  the  outer  sides  of  the  boat. 
By  this  arrangement,  when  all  was  in  its  place,  and  properlv 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  33t 

secured,  a  sea  might  break,  or  a  wave  slap  against  the  boat, 
without  her  taking  in  much  water.  It  doubled  her  security  in 
this  particular,  more  than  answering  the  purposes  of  a  half-deck 
and  wash-board.  It  is  true,  a  very  heavy  wave  might  carry  all 
away ;  but  very  heavy  waves  would  probably  fill  the  boat,  under 
any  circumstances.  Such  a  craft  could  only  find  safety  in  her 
buoyancy ;  and  we  made  her  as  safe  as  an  undecked  vessel  very 
well  could  be. 

Marble  watched  me  while  I  was  superintending  these  changes 
in  the  boat,  with  a  good  deal  of  interest ;  and  one  evening — I 
had  announced  an  intention  to  sail  next  morning,  the  major  and 
Emily  having  actually  gone  on  board — that  evening,  he  got  my 
arm,  and  led  me  away  from  the  spot,  like  a  man  who  has  urgent 
business.  I  could  see  that  he  was  much  affected,  and  had 
strong  hopes  he  intended  to  announce  a  change  of  purpose. 
His  hand  actually  trembled,  the  whole  time  he  grasped  my 
arm. 

"  God  bless  you,  Miles !  God  bless  you,  dear  boy !"  he  said, 
speaking  with  difficulty,  as  soon  as  we  were  out  of  ear-shot  from 
the  others.  "  If  any  being  could  make  me  pine  for  the  world, 
it  would  be  such  a  friend  as  you.  I  could  live  on  without  father 
or  mother,  brother  or  sister,  ship  or  confidence  of  my  owners, 
good  name  even,  were  I  sure  of  meeting  such  a  lad  as  yourself 
in  only  every  thousandth  man  I  fell  in  with.  But,  young  as 
you  are,  you  know  how  it  is  with  mankind ;  and  no  more  need 
be  said  about  it.  All  I  ask  now  is,  that  you  will  knock  off  with 
this  '  making  him  comfortable,'  as  you  call  it,  or  you'll  leave 
me  nothing  to  do  for  myself.  I  can  fit  out  that  boat  as  well  as 
e'er  a  man  in  the  Crisis,  I'd  have  you  to  know." 

"  I  am  well  aware  of  that,  my  friend ;  but  I  am  not  so  certain 
that  you  would.  In  that  boat,  I  am  in  hopes  you  will  follow 
us  out  to  sea,  and  come  on  board  again,  and  take  your  old  place 
as  master." 

Marble  shook  his  head,  and  I  believe  he  saw  by  my  manner 
that  I  had  no  serious  expectations  of  the  sort  I  named.  We 
walked  some  distance  farther,  in  silence,  before  he  again  spoka 
15 


338  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE 

Then  lie  said  suddenly,  and  in  a  way  to  show  how  much  his 
mind  was  troubled — 

"  Miles,  my  dear  boy,  you  must  let  me  hear  from  you !" 

"  Hear  from  me !  By  what  means,  pray  ?  You  cannot  ex 
pect  the  Postmaster  General  will  make  a  mail  route  between 
New  York  and  this  island  ?" 

"  Poh !  I'm  getting  old,  and  losing  my  memory.  I  was  gen 
eralizing  on  friendship,  and  the  like  of  that,  and  the  idee  ran 
away  with  me.  I  know,  of  course,  when  you  are  out  of  sight, 
that  I  shall  be  cut  off  from  the  rest  of  the  world — probably  shall 
never  see  a  human  face  again.  But  what  of  that  ?  My  time 
cannot  be  long  now,  and  I  shall  have  the  fish,  fowls,  and  pigs  to 
talk  to.  To  tell  you  the  truth,  Miles,  Miss  Merton  gave  me  her 
own  Bible  yesterday,  and  at  my  request,  she  pointed  out  that 
part  which  gives  the  account  about  Moses  in  the  bulrushes,  and 
I've  just  been  looking  it  over :  it  is  easy  enough,  now,  to  under 
stand  why  I  was  called  Moses." 

"  But  Moses  did  not  think  it  necessary  to  go  and  live  in  a 
desert,  or  on  an  uninhabited  island,  merely  because  he  was  found 
in  those  bulrushes." 

"  That  Moses  had  no  occasion  to  be  ashamed  of  his  parents. 
It  was  fear,  not  shame,  that  sent  him  adrift.  Nor  did  Moses 
ever  let  a  set  of  lubberly  Frenchmen  seize  a  fine,  stout  ship,  like 
the  Crisis,  with  a  good,  able-bodied  crew  of  forty  men  on  board 
her." 

"Come,  Marble,  you  have  too  much  sense  to  talk  in  this 
manner.  It  is,  fortunately,  not  too  late  to  change  your  mind ; 
and  I  will  let  it  be  understood  that  you  did  so  at  my  per 
suasion." 

This  was  the  commencement  of  a  final  effort  on  my  part  to 
induce  my  friend  to  abandon  his  mad  project.  We  conversed 
quite  an  hour,  until  I  had  exhausted  my  breath,  as  well  as  my 
arguments,  indeed ;  and  all  without  the  least  success.  I  pointed 
out  to  him  the  miserable  plight  he  must  be  in,  in  the  event  of 
illness;  but  it  was  an  argument  that  had  no  effect  on  a  man 
who  had  never  had  even  a  headache  in  his  life.  As  for  society, 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  339 

he  cared  not  a  straw  for  it  when  ashore,  he  often  boasted ;  and 
he  could  not  yet  appreciate  the  effects  of  total  solitude.  Once 
or  twice,  remarks  escaped  him  as  if  he  thought  it  possible  I 
might  one  day  return ;  but  they  were  ventured  in  pleasantry, 
rather  than  with  any  appearance  of  seriousness.  I  could  see 
that  the  self-devoted  hermit  had  his  misgivings,  but  I  could 
obtain  no  verbal  concession  from  him  to  that  effect.  He  was 
reminded  that  the  ship  must  positively  sail  next  day,  since  it 
would  not  do  to  trifle  with  the  interests  of  the  owners  any 
longer. 

"  I  know  it,  Miles,"  Marble  answered,  "  and  no  more  need  be 
said  on  the  subject.  Your  people  are  through  with  their  work, 
and  here  comes  Neb  to  report  the  boat  ready  to  go  off.  I  shall 
try  my  hand  ashore  to-night,  alone ;  in  the  morning,  I  suppose 
you  would  like  to  take  an  old  shipmate  by  the  hand  for  the 
last  time,  and  you  will  nat'rally  look  for  me  at  the  water-side. 
Good  night !  Before  we  part,  however,  I  may  as  well  thank 
you  for  the  supply  of  clothes  I  see  you  have  put  in  my  hut.  It 
was  scarcely  wanted,  as  I  have  enough  needles  and  thread  to 
supply  a  slop-shop ;  and  the  old  duck  left  by  the  French  will 
keep  me  in  jackets  and  trowsers  for  the  remainder  of  my  days. 
Good  night,  my  dear  boy  !  God  bless  you — God  bless  you !" 

It  was  nearly  dark,  but  I  could  see  that  Marble's  eyes  looked 
moist,  and  feel  that  his  hand  again  trembled.  I  left  him,  not 
without  the  hope  that  the  solitude  of  this  night,  the  first  in 
which  he  had  been  left  by  himself,  would  have  the  effect  to 
lessen  his  desire  to  be  a  hermit.  When  I  turned  in,  it  was 
understood  that  all  hands  were  to  be  called  at  daylight,  and  the 
ship  unmoored. 

Talcott  came  to  call  me,  at  the  indicated  moment.  I  had 
made  him  chief  mate,  and  taken  one  of  the  Philadelphians  for 
second  officer ;  a  young  man  who  had  every  requisite  for  the 
station,  and  one  more  than  was  necessary,  or  a  love  of  liquor. 
But  drunkards  do  tolerably  well  on  board  a  ship  in  which 
reasonable  discipline  is  maintained.  For  that  matter,  Neptune 
ought  to  be  a  profound  moralist,  as  youths  are  very  generally 


340  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

sent  to  sea  to  cure  most  of  the  ethical  ailings.  Talcott  was 
directed  to  unmoor,  and  heave  short.  As  for  myself,  I  got  into 
a  boat  and  pulled  ashore,  with  an  intention  of  making  a  last  and 
strong  appeal  to  Marble. 

No  one  was  visible  on  the  island  when  we  reached  it.  The 
pigs  and  fowls  were  already  in  motion,  however,  and  were 
gathering  near  the  door  of  the  hut,  where  Marble  was  accustom 
ed  to  feed  them  about  that  hour ;  the  fowls  on  sugar,  princi 
pally.  I  proceeded  to  the  door,  opened  it,  entered  the  place, 
and  found  it  empty !  Its  late  inmate  was  then  up,  and  abroad. 
He  had  probably  passed  a  sleepless  night,  and  sought  relief  in 
the  fresh  air  of  the  morning.  I  looked  for  him  in  the  adjacent 
grove,  on  the  outer  beach,  and  in  most  of  his  usual  haunts.  He 
was  nowhere  visible.  A  little  vexed  at  having  so  long  a  walk 
before  me,  at  a  moment  when  we  were  so  much  pressed  for  timo, 
I  was  about  to  follow  the  grove  to  a  distant  part  of  the  island, 
to  a  spot  that  I  knew  Marble  frequented  a  good  deal,  when 
moody ;  but  my  steps  were  arrested  by  an  accidental  glance  at 
the  lagoon.  I  missed  the  Frenchman's  launch,  or  the  boat  I  had 
myself  caused  to  be  rigged  with  so  much  care,  the  previous 
day,  for  the  intended  hermit's  especial  advantage.  This  was  a 
large  boat ;  one  that  had  been  constructed  to  weigh  a  heavy 
anchor,  and  I  had  left  her  moored  between  a  grapnel  and  the 
shore,  so  securely,  as  to  forbid  the  idea  she  could  have  been 
moved,  in  so  quiet  a  time,  without  the  aid  of  hands.  Rushing 
to  the  water,  I  got  into  my  own  boat,  and  pulled  directly  on 
board. 

On  reaching  the  ship,  a  muster  of  all  hands  was  ordered. 
The  result  proved  that  everybody  was  present,  and  at  duty.  It 
followed  that  Marble,  alone,  had  carried  the  boat  out  of  the 
lagoon.  The  men  who  had  had  the  anchor-watches  during  the 
past  night,  were  questioned  on  the  subject;  but  no  one  had 
seen  or  heard  any  thing  of  a  movement  in  the  launch.  Mr. 
Talcott  was  told  to  continue  his  duty,  while  I  went  aloft  myself, 
to  look  at  the  offing.  I  was  soon  in  the  main-topmast  cross- 
trees,  where  a  view  was  commanded  of  the  whole  island,  a  few 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  341 

covers  excepted,  of  all  the  water  within  the  reef,  and  of  a  wide 
range  without.  Nowhere  was  the  boat  or  Marble  to  be  seen. 
It  was  barely  possible  that  he  had  concealed  himself  behind  the 
wreck,  though  I  did  not  see  how  even  this  could  be  done,  un- 

'  O 

less  he  had  taken  the  precaution  to  strike  the  launch's  masts. 

By  this  time,  our  last  anchor  was  aweigh,  and  the  ship  was 
clear  of  the  bottom.  The  topsails  had  been  hoisted  before  I 
went  aloft,  and  every  thing  was  now  ready  for  filling  away.  Too 
anxious  to  go  on  deck,  under  such  circumstances,  and  a  lofty 
position  being  the  best  for  ascertaining  the  presence  of  rocks,  I 
determined  to  remain  where  I  was,  and  conn  the  ship  through 
the  passes,  in  my  own  person.  An  order  was  accordingly  given 
to  set  the  jib,  and  to  swing  the  head-yards,  and  get  the  spanker 
on  the  ship.  In  a  minute,  the  Crisis  was  again  in  motion,  mov 
ing  steadily  toward  the  inlet.  As  the  lagoon  was  not  entirely 
free  from  danger,  coral  rocks  rising  in  places,  quite  near  the  sur 
face  of  the  water,  I  was  obliged  to  be  attentive  to  the  pilot's 
duty  until  we  got  into  the  outer  bay  when  this  particular  dan 
ger  in  a  great  measure  disappeared.  I  could  then  look  about  me 
with  more  freedom.  Though  we  so  far  changed  our  position, 
as  respected  the  wreck,  as  to  open  new  views  of  it,  no  launch 
was  to  be  seen  behind  it.  By  the  time  the  ship  reached  the 
passage  through  the  reef,  I  had  little  hope  of  finding  it  there. 

We  had  got  to  be  too  familiar  with  the  channels  to  have  any 
difficulty  in  taking  the  ship  through  them ;  and  we  were  soon 
fairly  to  windward  of  the  reef.  Our  course,  however,  lay  to  lee 
ward ;  and  we  passed  round  the  southern  side  of  the  rocks,  un 
der  the  same  easy  canvas,  until  we  got  abreast,  and  within  half 
a  cable's  length  of  the  wreck.  To  aid  my  own  eyes,  I  had  call 
ed  up  Talcott  and  Neb  ;  but  neither  of  us  could  obtain  the  least 
glimpse  of  the  launch.  Nothing  was  to  be  seen  about  the 
wreck  ;  though  I  took  the  precaution  to  send  a  boat  to  it.  All 
was  useless.  Marble  had  gone  out  to  sea,  quite  alone,  in  the 
Frenchman's  launch ;  and,  though  twenty  pairs  of  eyes  were 
now  aloft,  no  one  could  even  fancy  that  he  saw  any  thing  in  the 
offing  that  resembled  a  boat. 


342  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

Talcott  and  myself  had  a  private  interview  on  the  subject  of 
Marble's  probable  course.  My  mate  was  of  opinion  that  our 
friend  had  made  the  best  of  his  way  for  some  of  the  inhabited 
islands,  unwilling  to  remain  here  when  it  came  to  the  pinch,  and 
yet  ashamed  to  rejoin  us.  I  could  hardly  believe  this ;  in  such 
a  case,  I  thought  he  would  have  waited  until  we  had  sailed ; 
when  Le  might  have  left  the  island  also,  and  nobody  been  the 
wiser.  To  this  Talcott  answered  that  Marble  probably  feared 
our  importunities  ;  possibly,  compulsion.  It  seemed  singular  to 
me,  that  a  man  who  regretted  his  hasty  decision,  should  adopt 
such  a  course ;  and  yet  I  was  at  a  loss  to  explain  the  matter 
much  more  to  my  own  satisfaction.  Nevertheless,  there  was  no 
remedy.  We  were  as  much  in  the  dark  as  it  was  possible  to  be 
with  a  knowledge  of  the  circumstance  that  the  bird  had  flown. 

We  hovered  around  the  reef  for  several  hours,  most  of  which 
time  I  passed  in  the  cross-trees,  and  some  of  it  on  the  royal- 
yard.  Once,  I  thought  I  saw  a  small  speck  on  the  ocean,  dead 
to  windward,  that  resembled  a  boat's  sail ;  but  there  were  so 
many  birds  flying  about,  and  glancing  beneath  the  sun's  rays, 
that  I  was  reluctantly  compelled  to  admit  it  was  probably  one  of 
them.  At  meridian,  therefore,  I  gave  the  order  to  square  away, 
and  to  make  sail  on  our  course.  This  was  done  with  the  great 
est  reluctance,  however,  and  not  without  a  good  deal  of  vacilla 
tion  of  purpose.  The  ship  moved  away  from  the  land  rapidly, 
and  by  two  o'clock,  the  line  of  cocoa-nut  trees  that  fringed  the 
horizon  astern,  sunk  entirely  beneath  the  rolling  margin  of  our 
view.  From  that  moment,  I  abandoned  the  expectation  of  ever 
seeing  Moses  Marble  again,  though  the  occurrence  left  all  of  us 
sad  for  several  days. 

Major  Merton  and  his  daughter  were  on  the  poop  nearly  the 
whole  of  this  morning.  Neither  interfered  in  the  least ;  for  the 
old  soldier  was  too  familiar  with  discipline  to  venture  an  opin 
ion  concerning  the  management  of  the  ship.  When  we  met  at 
dinner,  however,  the  conversation  naturally  turned  on  the  disap 
pearance  of  our  old  friend. 

"  It  is  a  thousand  pities  that  pride  should  have  prevented 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  343 

Marble  from  acknowledging  his  mistake,"  observed  the  major, 
"  and  thus  kept  him  from  getting  a  safe  passage  to  Canton, 
where  he  might  have  left  you,  and  joined  another  ship,  had  he 
thought  it  necessary." 

"  Where  we  shall  do  the  same  thing,  I  suppose,  dear  sir," 
added  Emily,  with  a  manner  that  I  thought  marked,  "and 
thus  relieve  Captain  Wallingford  from  the  encumbrance  of  our 
presence." 

"  Me  ! — call  your  delightful  society  any  thing  but  an  encum 
brance,  I  beg  of  you,  Miss  Merton,"  I  rejoined  in  haste.  "  Now, 
that  Mr.  Le  Compte  has  furnished  this  comfortable  cabin,  and 
you  are  no  longer  at  any  inconvenience  to  yourselves,  I  would 
not  be  deprived  of  the  advantage  and  pleasure  of  this  associa 
tion  for  more  than  I  dare  mention." 

Emily  looked  gratified ;  while  her  father  appeared  to  me  to 
be  thoughtful.  After  a  brief  pause,  however,  the  major  resumed 
the  discourse'. 

"  I  should  certainly  feel  myself  bound  to  make  many  apolo 
gies  for  the  trouble  we  are  giving,"  he  said,  "  especially,  since  I 
understand  from  Wallingford,  he  will  not  accept,  either  for  him 
self  or  his  owners,  any  thing  like  compensation  even  for  the 
food  we  consume,  were  it  not  that  we  are  here  by  constraint, 
and  not  by  any  agency  of  our  own.  As  soon  as  we  reach  Can 
ton,  however,  I  shall  feel  it  a  duty  to  get  on  board  the  first 
English  ship  that  will  receive  us." 

I  stole  a  glance  at  Emily,  but  could  not  understand  the  ex 
pression  of  her  countenance,  as  she  heard  this  announcement. 
Of  course,  I  made  an  earnest  protest  against  the  major's  doing 
any  thing  of  the  sort ;  and  yet  I  could  not  well  find  any  suffi 
cient  reason  for  urging  him  to  remain  where  he  was,  beyond  my 
own  gratification.  I  could  not  go  to  either  England  or  Bombay; 
and  I  took  it  for  granted  Major  Merton  wished  to  proceed  at 
once,  to  one,  if  not  to  both  of  these  places.  We  conversed,  a 
little  generally  perhaps,  on  the  subject  for  some  time  longer; 
and  when  I  left  the  cabin,  it  struck  me,  Emily's  melancholy  had, 
in  no  degree,  lessened. 


344  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

It  is  a  long  road  to  traverse  over  half  of  the  Pacific.  Weeks 
and  weeks  were  thus  occupied ;  Talcott  and  myself  profiting  by 
every  suitable  occasion,  to  enjoy  the  advantages  of  the  associa 
tion  chance  had  thus  thrown  in  our  way.  I  make  no  doubt  I 
was  greatly  benefited  by  my  constant  communications  with  the 
Mertons ;  the  major  being  a  cultivated,  though  not  a  particular 
ly  brilliant  man ;  while  I  conceive  it  to  be  utterly  impossible 
for  two  young  men,  of  our  time  of  life  and  profession,  to  be 
daily,  almost  hourly,  in  the  company  of  a  young  woman  like 
Emily  Morton,  without  losing  some  of  the  peculiar  roughness 
of  the  sea,  and  getting,  in  its  place,  some  small  portion  of  the 
gentler  qualities  of  the  saloon.  I  date  a  certain  d  plomb,  an 
absence  of  shyness  in  the  company  of  females,  from  this  habit 
ual  intercourse  with  one  of  the  sex  who  had,  herself,  been  care 
fully  educated  in  the  conventionalities  of  respectable,  if  not  of 
very  elegant  or  sophisticated  society. 

At  length  we  reached  the  China  seas,  and  falling  in  to  wind 
ward,  we  made  a  quick  run  to  Canton.  It  now  became  neces 
sary  for  me  to  attend  to  the  ship  and  the  interests  of  my 
owners ;  suffering  my  passengers  to  land  at  Whampoa,  with  the 
understanding  we  were  to  meet  before  either  party  sailed.  I 
soon  disposed  of  the  sandal  wood  and  skins,  and  found  no  diffi 
culty  in  procuring  teas,  nankins,  china-ware,  and  the  other 
articles  pointed  out  in  the  instructions  to  poor  Captain  Wil 
liams.  I  profiled  by  the  occasion,  also,  to  make  certain  pur 
chases  on  my  own  account,  that  I  had  a  presentiment  would  be 
particularly  agreeable  to  the  future  mistress  of  Clawbonny,  let 
that  lady  turn  out  to  be  whomsoever  she  might.  The  dollars 
obtained  on  the  west  coast  of  South  America  enabled  me  to  do 
this ;  my  instructions  giving  the  necessary  authority  to  use  a 
few  of  them  on  private  account.  My  privilege  as  master  ren 
dered  all  proper. 

In  a  word,  the  residence  of  six  or  eight  weeks  at  Canton, 
proved  a  very  advantageous  affair  for  those  whose  money  was 
embarked  in  the  Crisis.  Sandal  wood  and  sea-otter  skins 
brought  particularly  high  prices ;  while  teas,  and  the  manufac- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  345 

tures  of  the  country,  happened  to  be  low.  I  had  r.o  merit  in 
this — not  a  particle ;  and  yet  I  reaped  the  advantage,  so  far  as 
advantage  was  connected  with  the  mere  reputation  of  the  voy 
age — success  being  of  nearly  as  great  account  in  commerce  as 
in  war.  It  is  true,  I  worked  like  a  dog ;  for  I  worked  under  an 
entirely  novel  sense  of  responsibility,  and  with  a  feeling  I  am 
certain  that  could  never  have  oppressed  me  in  the  care  of  my 
own  property  ;  and  I  deserved  some  portion  of  the  credit  subse 
quently  obtained.  At  ah1  events  I  was  heartily  rejoiced  when  the 
hatches  were  on,  and  the  ship  was  once  more  ready  for  sea. 

It  now  became  a  duty,  as  well  as  a  pleasure,  to  seek  Major 
Merton,  whom  I  had  seen  but  once  or  twice  during  the  last  two 
months.  He  had  passed  that  time  at  Whampoa,  while  I  had 
been  either  at  the  factories  or  on  board.  The  major  was  occu 
pied  when  I  called,  and  Emily  received  me  alone.  When  she 
learned  that  I  was  ready  to  sail  for  home,  and  had  come  to  take 
my  leave,  it  was  easy  to  see  that  she  was  uneasy  if  not  distress 
ed.  I  felt  unhappy  at  parting,  too,  and  perhaps  I  had  less  scru 
ple  about  saying  as  much. 

"  God  only  knows,  Miss  Merton,  whether  we  are  ever  to  be 
permitted  to  see  each  other  again,"  I  remarked,  after  the  pre 
liminary  explanations  had  been  made. 

The  reader  will  remember  that  I  am  now  an  old  man,  and  that 
vanity  no  longer  has  any  of  that  influence  over  me  which  it 
might  be  supposed  to  possess  over  one  of  more  juvenile  hopes 
and  feelings ;  that  I  relate  facts,  without  reference  to  their  effect 
on  myself,  beyond  the  general  salvo  of  some  lingering  weak 
nesses  of  humanity.  I  trust,  therefore,  I  shall  be  understood  in 
all  my  necessary  allusions  to  the  estimation  in  which  I  was  ap 
parently  held  by  others.  Emily  fairly  started  when  I  made  this 
remark  concerning  the  probable  duration  of  the  approaching 
separation,  and  the  color  left  her  cheek.  Her  pretty  white  hand 
shook,  so  that  she  had  difficulty  in  using  her  needle ;  and  there 
was  an  appearance  of  agitation  and  distress  about  the  charming 
girl,  that  I  had  never  before  witnessed  in  one  whose  manner  was 
usually  so  self-possessed  and  calm.  I  now  know  the  reason  why 
15* 


846  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

I  did  not  throw  myself  on  my  knees,  and  beg  the  charming  girl 
to  consent  to  accompany  me  to  America,  though  I  wondered  at 
myself  afterward,  when  I  came  to  reflect  coolly  on  all  that  had 
passed,  for  my  stoicism.  I  will  not  affirm  that  I  fancied  Emily's 
agitation  to  be  altogether  owing  to  myself,  but  I  confess  to  an 
inability  to  account  for  it  in  any  other  manner  as  agreeable  to 
myself.  The  appearance  of  Major  Merton  at  that  instant,  how 
ever,  prevented  every  thing  like  a  scene,  and  probably  restored 
us  both  to  a  consciousness  of  the  necessity  of  seeming  calm.  As 
for  the  major  himself,  he  was  evidently  far  from  being  uncon 
cerned,  something  having  occurred  to  disturb  him.  So  very 
apparent  was  this,  that  I  commenced  the  discourse  by  asking 
if  he  were  unwelL 

"  Always  that,  I  fear,  Miles,"  he  answered ;  "  my  physician 
has  just  told  me  frankly,  unless  I  get  into  a  cold  climate  as  soon 
as  possible,  my  life  will  not  be  worth  six  months'  purchase." 

"  Then  sail  with  me,  sir,"  I  cried,  with  an  eagerness  and 
heartiness  that  must  have  proved  my  sincerity.  "  Happily,  I 
am  not  too  late  to  make  the  offer ;  and,  as  for  getting  away,  I 
am  ready  to  sail  to-morrow !" 

"  I  am  forbidden  to  go  near  Bombay,"  continued  the  major, 
looking  anxiously  at  his  daughter;  "  and  that  appointment  must 
be  abandoned.  If  I  could  continue  to  hold  it,  there  is  no  prob 
ability  of  a  chance  to  reach  my  station  this  half  year." 

"  So  much  the  better  for  me,  sir.  In  four  or  five  months  from 
this  moment,  I  will  land  you  in  New  York,  where  you  will  find 
the  climate  cold  enough  for  any  disease.  I  ask  you  as  friends, 
as  guests,  not  as  passengers ;  and  to  prove  it,  the  table  of  the 
upper  cabin,  in  future,  shall  be  mine.  I  have  barely  left  room 
in  the  lower  cabin  to  sleep  or  dress  in,  having  filled  it  with  my 
own  private  venture,  as  is  my  right." 

"  You  are  as  generous  as  kind,  Miles ;  but  what  will  your 
owners  think  of  such  an  arrangement  ?" 

"  They  have  no  right  to  complain.  The  cabin  aud  passengers, 
•  should  any  of  the  last  offer,  after  deducting  a  very  small  allow 
ance  for  the  ship's  portion  of  the  food  and  water,  are  mine  by 


AFLOAT     AND     ASHORE.  347 

agreement.  All  the  better  food  I  find  at  my  own  charge ;  and 
should  you  insist  on  remunerating  the  owners  for  the  coarser,  or 
such  as  they  find,  you  can  do  so — it  will  be  less  than  a  hundred 
dollars  at  the  most." 

"  On  these  conditions,  then,  I  shall  thankfully  profit  by  your 
offer,  attaching,  however,  one  more  that  I  trust  you  may  be  per 
mitted  to  fulfil.  It  is  important  to  me  that  I  reach  England — 
can  you  touch  at  St.  Helena  ?" 

"Willingly,  if  it  be  your  wish.  The  health  of  the  crew, 
moreover,  may  render  it  desirable." 

"  There,  then,  I  will  quit  you,  if  an  opportunity  offer  to  pro 
ceed  to  England.  Our  bargain  is  made,  dear  Miles;  und  to 
morrow  I  shall  be  ready  to  embark." 

I  think  Emily  never  looked  more  beautiful  than  she  did  while 
listening  to  this  arrangement.  It  doubtless  relieved  her  mind 
on  the  painful  subject  of  her  father's  health,  and  I  fancied  it  re 
lieved  it  also  on  the  subject  of  our  own  immediate  separation. 
Months  must  elapse  before  we  could  reach  St.  Helena ;  and  who 
could  foresee  what  those  months  might  bring  forth  ?  As  I  had 
a  good  deal  to  do  at  such  a  moment,  I  took  my  leave,  with  my 
feelings  lightened,  as  it  might  be,  of  a  burden.  The  reader 
will  at  once  infer  I  was  in  love.  But  he  will  be  mistaken.  I 
was  not  in  love,  though  my  imagination,  to  use  a  cant  phrase 
of  some  of  the  sects,  was  greatly  exercised.  Lucy,  even  then, 
had  a  hold  of  my  heart  in  a  way  of  which  I  was  ignorant  my 
self;  but  it  was  not  in  nature  for  a  youth,  just  approaching  his 
majority,  to  pass  months-  and  months,  almost  alone,  in  the 
society  of  a  lovely  girl  who  was  a  year  or  two  his  junior,  and 
not  admit  some  degree  of  tenderness  toward  her  in  his  feelings. 
The  circumstances  were  sufficient  to  try  the  constancy  of  the 
most  faithful  swain  that  ever  lived.  Then  it  must  be  remem 
bered  that  I  had  never  professed  to  love  Lucy — was  not  at  all 
aware  that  she  entertained  any  other  sentiment  toward  me  than 
that  she  entertained  toward  Rupert;  whereas  Emily — but  I  will 
not  prove  myself  a  coxcomb  on  paper,  whatever  I  might 
been,  at  the  moment,  in  my  own  imagination. 


348  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

Next  day,  at  the  appointed  hour,  I  had  the  happiness  to  re 
ceive  my  old  passengers.  It  struck  me  that  Talcott  was  as 
much  gratified  as  I  was  myself,  for  he,  too,  had  both  pleasure 
and  improvement  in  Emily  Merton's  society.  It  has  often  been 
said  that  the  English  East-India  ships  are  noted  for  quarrelling 
and  making  love.  The  quarrels  may  be  accounted  for  on  the 
same  principle  as  the  love-making,  viz.,  propinquity ;  the  same 
proximity  producing  hostility  in  those  sterner  natures,  that,  in 
others  of  a  gentler  cast,  produces  its  opposite  feeling. 

We  sailed,  and  it  is  scarcely  necessary  to  tell  the  reader  how 
much  the  tedium  of  so  long  a  voyage,  and  the  monotony  of  a 
sea-voyage,  was  relieved  by  the  graces  and  gentle  intercourse  of 
our  upper  cabin.  The  other  apartment  being  so  crowded  and 
hot,  I  passed  most  of  my  time  in  the  poop,  which  was  both 
light  and  airy.  Here  I  generally  found  the  father  and  daughter, 
though  often  the  latter  alone.  I  played  reasonably  well  on  the 
flute  and  violin,  and  had  learned  to  accompany  Emily  on  her 
piano,  which,  it  will  be  remembered,  Monsieur  Le  Compte  had 
caused  to  be  transferred  from  the  Bombay  ship  to  his  own  vessel, 
and  which  had  subsequently  been  saved  from  the  wreck. 

Talcott  played  also  on  the  flute,  far  better  than  I  did  myself, 
and  we  frequently  made  a  trio,  producing  very  respectable  sea- 
music — better,  indeed,  than  Neptune  often  got  for  his  smiles. 
In  this  manner,  then,  we  travelled  our  long  road,  sometimes  con 
tending  with  head-winds  and  cross-seas,  sometimes  becalmed, 
and  sometimes  slipping  along  at  a  rate  that  rendered  everybody 
contented  and  happy. 

In  passing  the  Straits  of  Sunda,  I  related  to  Major  Merton 
and  Emily  the  incidents  of  the  John's  affair  with  the  proas,  and 
her  subsequent  loss  on  the  island  of  Madagascar ;  and  was  re 
warded  by  the  interest  they  took  in  the  tale.  We  all  spoke  of 
Marble,  as  indeed  we  often  did,  and  expressed  our  regrets  at  his 
absence.  The  fate  of  my  old  shipmate  was  frequently  discussed 
among  us,  there  being  a  great  diversity  of  opinion  on  the  sub 
ject.  As  for  the  major,  he  thought  poor  Marble  must  be  lost 
at  sea.  for  he  did  not  perceive  how  any  one  man  could  manage 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  349 

a  boat  all  alone  by  himself.  Talcott,  who  had  juster  notions  of 
what  a  seaman  could  do,  was  of  opinion  that  our  late  com 
mander  had  run  to  leeward,  in  the  hope  of  finding  some  inhab 
ited  island,  preferring  the  association  of  even  cannibals,  when  it 
came  to  the  trying  moment,  to  total  solitude.  I  thought  he  had 
gone  to  windward,  the  boat  being  so  well  equipped  for  that  ser 
vice,  and  that  Marble  was  in  the  expectation  of  falling  in  with 
some  of  the  whalers,  who  were  known  to  be  cruising  in  certain 
latitudes.  I  was  greatly  struck,  however,  by  a  remark  made  by 
Emily,  on  the  evening  of  the  very  day  when  we  passed  the 
Straits  of  Sunda. 

"  Should  the  truth  be  ever  known,  gentlemen,"  she  said,  "  I 
am  of  opinion  it  will  be  found  that  poor  Mr.  Marble  only  left 
the  island  to  escape  from  your  importunities,  and  returned  to  it 
after  the  ship  disappeared ;  and  that  he  is  there  at  this  moment, 
enjoying  all  the  happiness  of  a  hermit." 

This  might  be  true,  and  from  that  hour  the  thought  would 
occasionally  recur  to  my  mind.  As  T  looked  forward  to  passing 
at  least  several  more  years  at  sea,  I  secretly  determined  to  ascer 
tain  the  fact  for  myself,  should  occasion  ever  offer.  In  the  mean 
time,  the  Crisis  had  reached  a  part  of  the  ocean  where,  in  those 
days,  it  was  incumbent  on  those  who  had  the  charge  of  a  ship 
to  keep  a  vigilant  look-out  for  enemies.  It  seems  we  were  not 
fated  to  run  the  gauntlet  of  these  pirates  entirely  unharmed. 

Early  on  the  following  morning,  I  was  awoke  by  Talcott's 
giving  me  a  hearty  shake  of  the  shoulder. 

"  Turn  out  at  once,  Captain  Wallingford,"  cried  my  mate ; 
"  the  rascals  are  closing  around  us  like  crows  about  a  carcass. 
As  bad  luck  will  have  it,  we  have  neither  room  nor  breeze  to 
spare.  Every  thing  looks  like  a  busy  morning  for  us,  sir." 

In  just  three  minutes  from  that  moment,  I  was  on  deck, 
where  all  hands  were  soon  collected,  the  men  tumbling  up,  with 
their  jackets  in  their  hands.  Major  Morton  was  already  on  the 
poop,  surveying  the  scene  with  a  glass  of  his  own ;  while  the 
two  mates  were  clearing  away  the  guns,  and  getting  the  ship  in 
a  state  to  make  a  suitable  defence.  To  me,  the  situation  was 


350  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

altogether  novel.  I  had  been  six  times  in  the  presence  of  ene 
mies  before,  and  twice  as  commander ;  but  never  under  circum 
stances  that  called  so  imperiously  for  seamanship  and  good  con 
duct.  The  ocean  seemed  covered  with  enemies,  Major  Merton 
declaring  that  he  could  count  no  less  than  twenty-eight  proas, 
all  full  of  men,  and  some  of  them  armed  with  artillery.  These 
chaps  were  ahead,  astern,  to  windward,  and  to  leeward ;  and, 
what  was  worse,  they  had  just  wind  enough  to  suit  their  pur 
poses,  there  being  about  a  five-knot  breeze.  It  was  evident  that 
the  craft  acted  in  concert,  and  that  they  were  desperately  bent 
on  our  capture,  having  closed  around  us  in  this  manner  in  the 
night.  Nevertheless,  we  were  a  warm  ship  for  a  merchantman ; 
and  not  a  man  in  the  Crisis  betrayed  any  feeling  that  indicated 
any  other  desire  than  a  wish  to  resist  to  the  last.  As  for  Neb, 
the  fellow  was  in  a  broad  grin,  the  whole  time;  he  considered 
the  affair  as  a  bit  of  fun.  Yet  this  negro  was  afraid  to  visit  cer 
tain  places  about  the  farm  in  the  dark,  and  could  not  have  been 
induced  to  cross  a  churchyard  alone,  under  a  bright  sun,  I  feel 
well  persuaded.  He  was  the  oddest  mixture  of  superstitious 
dread  and  lion-hearted  courage  I  ever  met  with  in  my  life. 

It  was  still  early,  when  the  proas  were  near  enough  to  com 
mence  serious  operations.  This  they  did,  by  a  nearly  simul 
taneous  discharge  of  about  a  dozen  guns,  principally  sixes,  that 
they  carried  mounted  in  their  bows.  The  shot  came  whistling 
in  among  our  spars  and  rigging,  literally  from  every  direction, 
and  three  struck,  though  they  were  not  of  a  size  to  do  any  se 
rious  injury.  Our  people  were  at  quarters,  having  managed  to 
man  both  batteries,  though  it  left  scarcely  any  one  to  look  after 
the  braces  and  rigging,  and  none  but  the  officers  with  small- 
arms. 

Mr.  Merton  must  have  felt  that  his  and  his  daughter's  lib 
erty,  if  not  their  lives,  were  in  the  keeping  of  a  very  youthful 
commander  ;  still,  his  military  habits  of  subordination  were  so 
strong,  he  did  not  venture  even  a  suggestion.  I  had  my  own 
plan,  and  was  just  of  an  age  to  think  it  derogatory  to  my  rank 
to  ask  advice  of  any  one.  The  proas  were  strongest  ahead  an  1 


AFLOAT      \ND      ASHORE.  351 

on  both  bows,  where  they  were  collecting  to  the  number  of 
near  twenty,  evidently  with  the  intention  of  boarding,  should 
an  opportunity  offer ;  while,  astern,  and  on  our  quarter,  they 
were  much  fewer,  and  far  more  scattered.  The  reason  of  all 
this  was  apparent  by  our  course,  the  pirates  naturally  supposing 
we  should  continue  to  stand  on. 

Orders  were  given  to  haul  up  the  mainsail  and  to  man  the 
spanker-brails.  The  men  were  taken  from  the  starboard  battery, 
exclusively,  to  perform  this  work.  When  all  was  ready,  the 
helm  was  put  up,  and  the  ship  was  brought  as  short  round  on 
her  heel,  as  possible,  hauling  up,  on  an  easy  bowline,  on  the  oth 
er  tack.  In  coming  round,  we  delivered  all  our  larboard  guns 
among  the  crowd  of  enemies,  well  crammed  with  grape  ;  and 
the  distance  being  just  right  for  scattering,  this  broadside  was 
not  without  effect.  As  soon  as  braced  up,  on  the  other  tack, 
we  opened,  starboard  and  larboard,  on  such  of  the  chaps  as  came 
within  range;  clearing  our  way  as  we  went.  The  headmost 
proas  all  came  round  in  chase ;  but  being  from  half  a  mile  to  a 
mile  astern,  we  had  time  to  open  a  way  out  of  the  circle,  and 
to  drive  all  the  proas  who  were  now  ahead  of  us,  to  take  refuge 
among  the  crowd  of  their  fellows.  The  manoeuvre  was  hand 
somely  executed ;  and,  in  twenty  minutes  we  ceased  firing,  hav 
ing  all  our  enemies  to  the  westward  of  us,  and  in  one  group : 
this  was  an  immense  advantage,  as  it  enabled  us  to  fight  with  a 
single  broadside,  prevented  our  being  raked,  and  rendered  our 
own  fire  more  destructive,  by  exposing  to  it  a  more  concen 
trated,  and,  at  the  same  time,  a  larger  object.  I  ought  to  have 
said  before,  that  the  wind  was  at  the  southward. 

The  Crisis  now  tacked,  setting  the  courses  and  royals.  The 
ship  lay  up  well,  and  the  proas  having  collected  around  their  ad 
miral,  there  was  a  prospect  of  her  passing  to  windward  of  every 
thing.  Six  of  the  fellows,  however,  seemed  determined  to  pre 
vent  this,  by  hauling  close  on  a  wind,  and  attempting  to  cross 
our  bows,  firing  as  they  did  so.  The  ship  stood  on,  apparently 
as  if  to  intercept  them  ;  when,  finding  ourselves  near  enough,  we 
kept  away  about  three  points  ,  and  swept  directly  down  in  the 


352  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

very  centre  of  the  main  body  of  the  proas.  As  this  was  done, 
the  enemy,  taken  by  surprise,  cleared  a  way  for  us,  and  we 
passed  the  whole  of  them,  delivering  grape  and  canister,  as  fast 
as  we  could  deal  it  out.  In  the  height  of  the  affair,  and  the 
thickest  of  the  smoke,  three  or  four  of  the  proas  were  seen  quite 
near  us,  attempting  to  close  ;  but  I  did  not  think  it  necessary  to 
call  the  people  from  the  guns,  which  were  worked  with  great 
quickness,  and  did  heavy  execution.  I  fancy  the  pirates  found 
it  hotter  than  they  liked,  for  they  did  not  keep  on  with  us ; 
though  our  lofty  sails  gave  us  an  advantage,  and  would  have 
enabled  us  to  leave  them,  had  they  pursued  a  different  course. 
As  it  was,  we  were  clear  of  them,  in  about  five  minutes  ;  and 
the  smoke  beginning  to  rise,  we  soon  got  a  view  of  what  had 
been  done  in  that  brief  space.  In  order  to  increase  our  dis 
tance,  however,  we  still  kept  away,  running  pretty  fast  through 
the  water. 

By  the  confusion  which  prevailed  among  the  pirates,  the  ras 
cals  had  been  well  peppered.  One  had  actually  sunk,  and  five 
or  six  were  round  the  spot  endeavoring  to  pick  up  the  crew. 
Three  more  had  suffered  in  their  spars,  and  the  movements  in 
dicated  that  all  had  enough.  As  soon  as  satisfied  of  this,  I 
hauled  the  ship  up  to  her  course,  and  we  continued  to  leave  the 
cluster  of  boats,  which  remained  around  the  spot  where  their 
consort  had  gone  down.  Those  of  the  fellows  to  windward, 
however,  did  not  seem  disposed  to  give  it  up,  but  followed  us 
for  two  hours,  by  which  time  the  rest  of  their  flotilla  were  hull 
down.  Believing  there  was  now  plenty  of  room,  I  tacked  to 
ward  these  persevering  gentry,  when  they  went  about  like  tops, 
and  hauled  off  sharp  on  a  wind.  We  tacked  once  more  to  our 
course,  and  were  followed  no  further. 

The  captain  of  a  pepper  ship  afterward  told  me,  that  our  as 
sailants  lost  forty-seven  men,  mostly  killed,  or  died  of  their  hurts, 
and  that  he  had  understood  that  the  same  officer  command 
ed  the  Crisis  that  had  commanded  the  "John,"  in  her  affair, 
near  the  same  spot.  We  had  some  rigging  cut,  a  few  of  our 
spars  slightly  injured,  and  two  men  hurt,  one  of  whom  happen- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  35.M 

ed  to  be  Neb.  The  man  most  hurt  died  before  we  reached  the 
Cape,  but  more  from  the  want  of  surgical  assistance  than  from 
the  original  character  of  his  wound.  As  for  Neb,  he  went  to 
duty  before  we  reached  St.  Helena.  For  my  part,  I  was  sur 
prised  one  of  the  proas  did  not  get  down  his  throat,  his  grin 
being  wide  enough,  during  the  whole  affair,  to  admit  of  the 
passage  of  a  two-decker. 

We  went  into  the  island,  as  had  been  agreed,  but  no  ship 
offering,  and  none  being  expected  soon,  it  became  necessary  for 
my  passengers  to  continue  on  with  us  to  New  York.  Emily 
had  behaved  uncommonly  well  in  the  brush  with  the  pirates, 
and  everybody  was  glad  to  keep  her  in  the  ship.  The  men 
swore  she  brought  good  luck,  forgetting  that  the  poor  girl  must 
have  met  with  much  ill  luck,  in  order  to  be  in  the  situation  in 
which  she  was  actually  placed. 

Nothing  occurred  on  the  passage  from  St.  Helena  to  New 
York,  worthy  of  being  specially  recorded.  It  was  rather  long, 
but  I  cannot  say  it  was  unpleasant.  At  length  our  reckoning  told 
us  to  look  out  for  land.  The  major  and  Emily  were  on  deck, 
all  expectation,  and  ere  long  we  heard  the  welcome  cry.  A  hazy 
cloud  was  just  visible  on  our  lee-bow.  It  grew  more  and  more 
dense  and  distinct,  until  it  showed  the  hues  and  furrows  of  a 
mountain-side.  The  low  point  of  the  Hook,  and  the  higher  land 
beyond,  then  came  in  view.  We  glided  past  the  light,  doubled 
the  Spit,  and  got  into  the  upper  bay,  just  an  hour  before  the 
sun  of  a  beautiful  day  in  June  was  setting.  This  was  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  1802. 


354  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 


CHAPTER  XXL 

"Drink!  drink  I  to  whom  shall  we  drink  T 
To  a  friend  or  a  mistress  ?  —  Come,  let  me  think  1 
To  those  who  are  absent,  or  those  who  are  here  ? 
To  the  dead  that  we  loved,  or  the  living  still  dear? 
Alas  I  when  I  look  I  find  none  of  the  last  ! 
The  present  is  barren  —  let's  drink  to  the  past" 


THOUGH  strictly  a  Manhattanese  as  a  sailor,  I  shall  not  run 
into  rhapsody  on  the  subject  of  the  beauties  of  the  inner  or 
outer  bay  of  this  prosperous  place.  No  man  but  one  besot 
ted  with  provincial  conceit  could  ever  think  of  comparing  the 
harbor  of  New  York  with  the  Bay  of  Naples  ;  nor  do  I  know 
two  places,  that  have  the  same  great  elements  of  land  and 
water,  that  are  less  alike.  The  harbor  of  New  York  is  barely 
pretty  —  not  a  particle  more,  if  quite  as  much  ;  while  the  Bay 
of  Naples  is  almost  what  its  owners  so  fondly  term  it,  "  a  little 
bit  of  heaven,  fallen  upon  earth."  On  the  other  hand,  how 
ever,  Naples,  as  a  haven,  is  not  to  be  mentioned  in  the  same 
breath  with  the  great  American  mart,  which,  as  a  part,  has  no 
competitor  within  the  circle  of  my  knowledge,  Constantinople 
alone  excepted.  I  wish  my  semi-townsmen,  the  Manhattanese, 
could  be  persuaded  of  these  facts,  as,  when  they  do  brag,  as 
the  wisest  of  mortals  sometimes  will,  they  might  brag  of  their 
strong,  and  not  of  their  weak  points,  as  is  now  too  often  the 
case. 

The  major,  Emily,  and  myself,  stood  on  the  poop,  regarding 
the  scene,  as  the  ship  glided  onward,  before  a  good  south-east 
breeze.  I  watched  the  countenances  of  my  companions  with 
interest,  for  I  had  the  nervousness  of  a  tyro  and  a  provincial  on 
the  subject  of  the  opinions  of  the  people  of  other  lands  con- 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  355 

cerning  every  thing  that  affected  my  own.  I  could  see  that 
the  major  was  not  particularly  struck ;  and  I  was  disappointed, 
then,  whatever  may  be  my  opinion  now.  Emily  better  answered 
my  hopes.  Whether  the  charming  girl  really  felt  the  vast  con 
trast  between  a  view  of  the  unbroken  expanse  of  the  ocean,  and 
the  scene  before  her,  or  was  disposed  to  please  her  host,  she  did 
not  hesitate  to  express  delight.  I  let  her  understand  how  much 
I  was  gratified  ;  and  thus  our  long,  long  voyage,  and  that,  so  far 
as  degrees  of  longitude  were  concerned,  nearly  embraced  the 
circuit  of  the  earth,  may  be  said  to  have  terminated  with  the 
kindest  feeling. 

The  ship  was  off  Bedlow's,  and  the  pilot  had  begun  to  short 
en  sail,  when  a  schooner  crossed  our  fore-foot,  beating  down.  I 
had  been  too  much  occupied  with  the  general  movement  of  the 
bay,  to  notice  one  small  craft ;  but,  this  vessel  happening  to 
tack  quite  near  us,  I  could  not  but  turn  my  eyes  in  her  direc 
tion.  At  that  instant  I  heard  a  shout  from  Neb,  who  was 
furling  one  of  the  royals.  It  was  one  of  those  irrepressible 
"  nigger  gollies"  that  often  escaped  from  the  fellow  involun 
tarily. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that  uproar,  on  the  mizzen-royal- 
yard,"  I  called  out  angrily — for  the  style  of  my  ship  had  now 
become  an  object  of  concern  with  me.  "  Keep  silence,  sir,  or  I'll 
find  a  way  to  instruct  you  in  the  art." 

"  Lord ! — masser  Mile" — cried  the  negro,  pointing  eagerly  to 
ward  the  schooner — "  there  go  Pretty  Poll." 

It  was  our  old  craft,  sure  enough,  and  I  hailed  her,  incon 
tinently. 

"  Pretty  Polly,  ahoy  !" 

"  Halloo !" 

"  Where  are  you  bound,  sir ;  and  when  did  that  schooner  get 
in  from  the  Pacific  2" 

"  We  are  bound  to  Martinique — the  Poll  got  home  from  the 
South  Seas  about  six  months  since.  This  is  her  third  voyage 
to  the  West  Indies,  since." 

Here  then  was  the  certainty  that  the  cargo  sent  home,  and 


356  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

the  letter  with  it,  were  all  safe.  I  must  be  expected,  and  the 
owners  would  soon  hear  of  my  arrival.  We  were  not  kept  long 
in  doubt ;  for,  as  the  ship  entered  the  Hudson,  a  boat  ap 
proached,  and  in  her  were  two  of  the  principal  members  of  our 
firm.  I  had  seen  them,  and  that  is  all ;  but  my  own  letters, 
and  the  report  of  the  officer  who  brought  home  the  schooner, 
had  told  them  all  about  me.  Could  Nelson,  after  his  victory  of 
the  Nile,  have  walked  into  the  King  of  England's  private  cabi 
net  with  the  news  of  his  own  success,  his  reception  would  not 
have  been  more  flattering  than  that  I  now  received.  I  was 
<;  Captain  Wallingforded"  at  every  sentence ;  and  commendations 
were  so  intermixed  with  inquiries  about  the  value  of  the  cargo, 
that  I  did  not  know  which  to  answer  first.  I  was  invited  to 
dine  the  very  next  day  by  both  the  gentlemen  in  the  same 
breath;  and  when  I  raised  some  objections  connected  with  the 
duty  of  the  ship,  the  invitations  were  extended  from  day  to  day, 
for  a  week.  So  very  welcome  is  he  who  brings  us  gold  ! 

We  went  alongside  of  a  North  River  wharf,  and  had  every 
thing  secure,  just  as  the  sun  was  setting.  The  people  were  then 
allowed  to  go  ashore  for  the  night.  Not  a  soul  of  them  asked 
for  a  dollar,  but  the  men  walked  up  the  wharf  attended  by  a 
circle  of  admiring  landlords,  that  put  them  all  above  want.  The 
sailor  who  has  three  years'  pay  under  his  lee,  is  a  sort  of  Roths 
child  on  Jack's  Exchange.  All  the  harpies  about  our  lads  knew 
that  the  Crisis  and  her  teas,  etc.,  were  hypothecated  to  meet 
their  own  ten  and  twenty  dollar  advances. 

I  dressed  myself  hurriedly,  and  ordered  Neb  to  imitate  my 
example.  One  of  the  owners  had  kindly  volunteered  to  see 
Major  Merton  and  Emily  to  a  suitable  residence,  with  an  alacrity 
that  surprised  me.  But  the  influence  of  England  and  English 
men,  in  all  America,  was  exceedingly  great  forty  years  since. 
This  was  still  more  true  in  New  York  than  in  the  country  gen 
erally,  and  a  half-pay  English  major  was  a  species  of  nobleman 
among  the  better  sort  of  Manhattanese  of  that  day.  How  many 
of  these  quasi  lords  have  I  seen,  whose  patents  of  nobility  were 
merely  the  commissions  of  captains  and  lieutenants,  signed  by 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  35V 

the  majesty  of  England  !  In  that  day — it  is  nonsense  to  deny 
it — the  man  who  had  served  against  the  country,  provided  he 
was  a  "British  officer,"  was  a  better  man  than  he  who  had 
served  in  our  own  ranks.  This  was  true,  however,  only  as  re 
garded  society ;  the  ballot-boxes,  and  the  people,  giving  very 
different  indications  of  their  sentiments  on  such  subjects.  Nor 
is  this  result,  so  far  as  New  York  was  concerned,  as  surprising 
as  at  first  sight  it  may  possibly  appear.  Viewed  as  a  class,  the 
gentry  of  New  York  took  sides  with  the  crown.  It  is  true,  that 
the  portion  of  this  gentry  which  might  almost  be  called  baronial 
— it  was  strictly  manorial — was  pretty  equally  divided,  carrying 
with  them  their  collaterals ;  but  the  larger  portion  of  this  entire 
class  of  the  elite  of  society  took  sides  with  the  crown,  and  the 
peace  of  '83  found  no  small  part  of  them  in  possession  of  their 
old  social  stations,  the  confiscations  affecting  few  beyond  the 
most  important  and  the  richest  of  the  delinquents.  I  can  give 
an  instance  within  my  own  immediate  knowledge  of  the  sort  of 
justice  of  these  confiscations. 

The  head  of  one  of  the  most  important  of  ah1  the  colonial 
families  was  a  man  of  indolent  habits,  and  was  much  indisposed 
to  any  active  pursuits.  This  gentleman  was  enormously  rich, 
and  his  estates  were  confiscated  and  sold.  Now  this  attainted 
traitor  had  a  younger  brother  who  was  actually  serving  in  the 
British  army  in  America,  his  regiment  sharing  in  the  battles  of 
Bunker  Hill,  Brandy  wine,  Monmouth,  etc.  But  the  major  was 
a  younger  son,  and  in  virtue  of  that  republican  merit,  he  escaped 
the  consequences  of  his  adhesion  to  the  service  of  the  crown, 
and  after  the  Revolution  the  cadet  returned  to  his  native  coun 
try,  took  quiet  possession  of  a  property  of  no  inconsiderable 
amount;  while  his  senior  passed  his  days  in  exile,  paying  the 
bitter  penalty  of  being  rich  in  a  revolution.  It  was  a  conse 
quence  of  the  peculiarities  first  mentioned,  that  the  Manhattan- 
ese  society  set  so  high  a  value  on  English  connection.  They 
still  admired,  as  the  provincial  only  can  admire,  and  they  wor 
shipped,  as  the  provincial  worships ;  or,  at  a  safe  distance.  The 
strange  medley  of  truth,  cant,  selfishness,  sophistry,  and  good 


358  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

faith,  that  founded  the  political  hostility  to  the  movements  of 
the  French  Revolution,  had  as  ardent  believers  in  this  country 
is  it  had  in  England  itself;  and  this  contributed  to  sustain  the 
sort  of  feeling  I  have  described.  Of  the  fact  there  can  be  no 
doubt,  as  any  one  will  testify  who  knew  New  York  society  forty 
years  ago. 

No  wonder,  then,  that  Major  Merton  and  Emily  fared  well  on 
their  sudden  arrival  in  the  country.  Some  romance,  moreover, 
was  attached  to  their  adventures ;  and  I  had  no  great  reason  to 
give  myself  any  anxiety  on  their  account.  There  was  little  doubt 
of  their  soon  being  much  more  at  home  than  I  could  hope  to  be, 
though  in  my  native  land. 

Neb  soon  reported  himself  ready  for  shore-duty,  and  I  ordered 
him  to  follow  me.  It  was  my  intention  to  proceed  to  the  count 
ing-house  of  the  owners  to  receive  some  letters  that  awaited  me, 
and  after  writing  short  answers,  to  dispatch  the  black  at  once  to 
Clawbonny  with  the  intelligence  of  my  return.  In  1802,  the 
Battery  was  the  court-end  of  the  town,  and  it  was  a  good  deal 
frequented  by  the  better  classes,  particularly  at  the  hour  at  which 
I  was  now  about  to  cross  it.  I  have  never  returned  from  a  voy 
age,  especially  to  Europe,  without  being  particularly  struck  with 
two  things  in  the  great  Western  Emporium — since  the  common 
councils  and  the  editors  insist  on  the  word — viz.,  the  provincial 
appearance  of  every  thing  that  meets  the  eye,  and  the  beauty 
of  the  younger  females ;  meaning,  however,  by  the  last,  the  true, 
native  portion  of  the  population,  and  not  the  throng  from  Ire 
land  and  Germany,  who  now  crowd  the  streets,  and  who,  cer 
tainly,  as  a  body,  are  not  in  the  least  remarkable  for  personal 
charms.  But  an  American  can  tell  an  American  man  or  woman 
as  soon  as  he  lays  eyes  on  either ;  and  there  were  few  besides 
native  girls  on  the  Battery  at  the  time  of  which  I  am  writing. 
As  there  were  many  children  taking  their  evening  walk,  and 
black  servants  were  far  more  common  than  now,  Neb  had  his 
share  of  delights,  too,  and  I  heard  him  exclaim  "  Golly !"  twice, 
before  we  reached  the  centre  of  the  Battery.  This  exclamation 
escaped  him  on  passing  as  many  sable  Venuses,  each  of  whom 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  359 

bridled  up  at  the  fellow's  admiration,  and  doubtless  was  as  much 
offended  as  the  sex  is  apt  to  be  on  such  occasions. 

I  must  have  passed  twenty  young  women  that  evening,  either 
of  whom  would  induce  a  youth  to  turn  round  to  look  again ; 
and,  for  the  moment,  I  forgot  my  errand.  Neither  Neb  nor  I 
was  in  any  hurry.  We  were  strolling  along,  in  this  manner, 
gazing  right  and  left,  when  a  party  approached,  under  the  trees, 
that  drew  all  my  attention  to  itself.  In  front  walked  a  young 
man  and  young  woman,  who  were  dressed  simply,  but  with  a 
taste  that  denoted  persons  of  the  better  class.  The  former  was 
remarkable  for  nothing,  unless  it  might  be  a  rattling  vivacity,  of 
which  large  doses  were  administered  to  his  fair  companion,  who, 
seemingly,  swallowed  it  less  reluctantly  than  doses  of  another 
sort  are  so  often  received.  At  least,  I  thought  so  while  the  two 
were  at  a  distance,  by  the  beautiful  glistening  teeth  that  were 
shining  like  my  own  spotless  pearls,  between  lips  of  coi'al.  The 
air,  beauty,  figure,  and,  indeed,  all  connected  with  this  singularly 
lovely  young  creature,  struck  my  imagination  at  once.  It  was 
not  so  much  her  beauty,  though  that  was  decided  and  attrac 
tive,  as  the  admixture  of  feminine  delicacy  with  blooming  health ; 
the  walk,  so  natural,  and  yet  so  full  of  lightness  and  grace ;  the 
laugh,  so  joyous,  and  still  so  quiet  and  suited  to  her  sex ;  and 
the  entire  air  and  manner,  which  denoted  equally  buoyant  health 
and  happiness,  the  gracefulness  of  one  who  thought  not  of  her 
self,  and  the  refinement  which  is  quite  as  much  the  gift  of  na 
tive  sentiment  as  the  fruit  of  art  and  association.  I  could  not 
tell  what  her  companion  was  saying ;  but  as  they  approached,  I 
fancied  them  acknowledged  lovers,  on  whom  fortune,  friends, 
and  circumstances  smiled  alike.  A  glance  aside  told  me  that 
even  Neb  was  struck  by  the  being  before  him,  and  that  he  had 
ceased  looking  at  the  sable  Venuses,  to  gaze  at  this. 

I  could  not  keep  my  gaze  off  the  face  of  this  lovely  creature, 
who  did  not  let  me  get  a  good  look  of  her  dark-blue  eyes,  how 
ever,  until  I  was  quite  near,  when  they  were  naturally  turned 
toward  the  form  that  approached.  For  a  few  seconds,  while  in 
the  very  act  of  passing,  we  looked  intently  at  each  other,  and 


860  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

the  charm  said  to  be  possessed  by  certain  animals,  was  not  more 
powerful  than  was  our  mutual  gaze.  In  this  manner  we  had 
actually  passed  each  other,  and  I  was  still  in  a  sort  of  mystified 
trance,  when  I  heard  suddenly,  in  a  voice  and  tone  that  caused 
every  nerve  to  thrill  within  me,  the  single  word — 

"  Miles !" 

Turning,  and  taking  another  look,  it  was  impossible  any 
longer  to  mistake.  Lucy  Hardinge  stood  before  me  trembling, 
uncertain,  her  face  now  pale  as  death,  now  flushed  to  scarlet, 
her  hands  clasped,  her  look  doubting,  eager,  shrinking,  equally 
denoting  hope  and  fear,  and  all  so  blended,  as  to  render  her  the 
most  perfect  picture  of  female  truth,  feeling,  diffidence,  and  nat 
ural  modesty  I  had  ever  beheld. 

"  Lucy — is  it — can  it  be  possible  ?  It  is,  then,  you,  I  thought 
so  gloriously  beautiful,  and  that  without  knowing  you,  too." 

I  take  it  for  granted,  had  I  studied  a  week,  I  should  not  have 
composed  a  more  grateful  salutation  than  this,  which  burst  forth 
in  a  way  that  set  all  the  usual  restraints  of  manners  at  defiance. 
Of  course,  I  felt  bound  to  go  through  with  the  matter  as 
prosperously  as  I  had  commenced,  and  in  spite  of  the  publicity 
of  the  place,  in  spite  of  half  a  dozen  persons,  who  heard  what 
passed,  and  had  turned,  smiling,  to  see  what  would  come  next, 
in  spite  of  the  grave-looking  gentleman  who  had  so  lately  been 
all  vivacity  and  gayety,  I  advanced,  folded  the  dear  girl  to  my 
heart,  and  gave  her  such  a  kiss,  as  I'll  take  upon  myself  to  say, 
she  had  never  before  received.  Sailors,  usually,  do  not  perform 
such  things  by  halves,  and  I  never  was  more  in  earnest  in  my  life. 
Such  a  salutation,  from  a  young  fellow  who  stood  rather  more 
than  six  feet  in  his  stockings,  had  a  pair  of  whiskers  that  had 
come  all  the  way  from  the  Pacific  with  very  little  trimming,  and 
who  possessed  a  manliness  about  him  of  which  mere  walking  up 
and  down  Broadway  would  have  robbed  a  young  Hercules,  had 
the  effect  to  cover  poor  Lucy  with  blushes  and  confusion. 

"  There — that  will  do,  Miles."  she  said,  struggling  to  get  free ; 
"  a  truce,  I  pray  you.  See  yonder  are  Grace  and  my  father, 
and  Rupert." 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  361 

There  they  all  were,  sure  enough,  the  whole  family  having 
come  out,  to  take  an  evening  walk,  in  company  with  a  certain 
Mr.  Andrew  Drewett,  a  young  gentleman  who  was  a  fellow- 
student  of  Rupert's,  and  who,  as  I  afterward  ascertained,  was  a 
pretty  open  admirer  of  Rupert's  sister.  There  was  a  marked 
difference  in  the  manner  in  which  I  was  received  by  Grace  and 
Lucy.  The  first  exclaimed  "  Miles !"  precisely  as  the  last  had 
exclaimed ;  her  color  heightened,  and  tears  forced  themselves 
into  her  eyes,  but  she  could  not  be  said  to  blush.  Instead  of 
first  manifesting  an  eagerness  to  meet  my  salute,  and  then 
shrinking  sensitively  from  it,  she  flung  her  delicate  arms  round 
my  neck,  without  the  slightest  reserve,  both  arms  too,  kissed  me 
six  or  eight  times  without  stopping,  and  then  began  to  sob,  as 
if  her  heart  would  break.  The  spectators,  who  saw  in  all  this 
the  plain,  honest,  natural,  undisguised  affection  of  a  sister,  had 
the  good  taste  to  walk  on,  though  I  could  see  that  their  coun 
tenances  sympathized  with  so  happy  a  family  meeting.  I  had 
but  a  moment  to  press  Grace  to  my  heart,  before  Mr.  Hardinge's 
voice  drew  my  attention  to  him.  The  good  old  man  forgot 
that  I  was  two  inches  taller  than  he  was  himself;  that  I  could, 
with  ease,  have  lifted  him  from  the  earth,  and  carried  him  in 
my  arms,  as  if  he  were  an  infant ;  that  I  was  bronzed  by  a  long 
voyage,  and  had  Pacific  Ocean  whiskers ;  for  he  caressed  me  as 
if  I  had  been  a  child,  kissed  me  quite  as  often  as  Grace  had 
done,  blessed  me  aloud,  and  then  gave  way  to  his  tears,  as  free 
ly  as  both  the  girls.  But  for  this  burst  of  feeling  on  the  part 
of  a  gray-headed  old  clergyman,  I  am  afraid  our  scene  would 
not  altogether  have  escaped  ridicule.  As  it  was,  however,  this 
saved  us.  Clergymen  were  far  more  respected  in  America, 
forty  years  ago,  than  they  are  to-day,  though  I  think  they  have 
still  as  much  consideration  here  as  in  most  other  countries  ;  and 
the  general  respect  felt  for  the  class  would  have  insured  us  from 
any  manifestations  of  the  sort,  without  the  nature  and  emotion 
which  came  in  its  aid.  As  for  myself,  I  was  glad  to  take  refuge 
in  Rupert's  hearty  but  less  sentimental  shake  of  the  hand.  After 
this,  we  all  sought  a  seat,  in  a  less  public  spot,  and  were  soon 
16 


362  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

sufficiently  composed  to  converse.  As  for  the  gentleman  named 
Drewett,  he  waited  long  enough  to  inquire  of  Lucy  who  I  was, 
and  then  he  had  sufficient  tact  to  wish  us  all  good  evening.  T 
overheard  the  little  dialogue  which  produced  this  explanation. 

"  A  close  friend,  if  not  a  near  relation,  Miss  Hardinge  ?"  he 
observed,  inquiringly. 

"  Oh,  yes,"  answered  the  smiling,  weeping  girl,  with  the  un 
disguised  truth  of  her  honest  nature,  "  both  friend  and  relative." 

"  May  I  presume  to  ask  the  name  ?" 

"  The  name,  Mr.  Drewett !  Why  it  is  Miles — dear  Miles — 
you  surely  have  heard  us  speak  of  Miles — but  I  forget ;  you 
never  were  at  Clawbonny.  Is  it  not  a  most  joyful  surprise, 
dearest,  dearest  Grace?" 

Mr.  Andrew  Drewett  waited,  I  thought,  with  most  commend 
able  patience  for  Grace  to  squeeze  Lucy's  hand,  and  to  murmur 
her  own  felicitations,  when  he  ventured  to  add — 

"  You  were  about  to  say  something,  Miss  Hardinge  ?" 

"  Was  I — I  declare  I  have  forgotten  what  it  was.  Such  a 
surprise — such  a  joyful,  blessed  surprise — I  beg  pardon,  Mr. 
Drewett — ah!  I  remember  now;  I  was  about  to  say  that  this 
is  Mr.  Miles  Wallingford,  of  Clawbonny,  the  gentleman  who  is 
my  father's  ward — Grace's  brother,  you  know." 

"  And  how  related  to  yourself,  Miss  Hardinge  ?"  the  gentle 
man  continued,  a  little  perseveringly. 

"  To  me !  Oh  !  very,  very  near — that  is — I  forget  so  much 
this  evening — why,  not  at  all." 

It  was  at  this  moment  Mr.  Drewett  saw  fit  to  make  his  part 
ing  salutations  with  studied  decorum,  and  to  take  his  leave  in  a 
manner  so  polite,  that,  though  tempted,  I  could  not,  just  at  the 
moment,  stop  the  current  of  my  feelings,  to  admire.  No  one 
seemed  to  miss  him,  however,  and  we  five,  who  remained,  were 
soon  seated  in  the  spot  I  have  mentioned,  and  as  much  ab 
stracted  from  the  scene  around  us,  as  if  we  had  been  on  the 
rustic  bench,  under  the  old  elm,  on  the  lawn — if  I  dare  use  so 
fine  a  word,  for  so  unpretending  a  place — at  Clawbonny.  I 
had  my  station  between  Mr.  Hardinge  and  Grace,  while  Lucy 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  36;'. 

sat  next  her  father,  and  Rupert  next  to  my  sister.  My  friend 
could  see  me,  without  difficulty,  owing  to  his  stature,  while  I 
saw  the  glistening  eyes  of  Lucy,  riveted  on  my  face,  as,  leaning 
on  her  father's  knee,  she  bent  her  graceful  form  forward,  in  ab 
sorbed  attention. 

"  We  expected  you ;  we  have  not  been  taken  altogether  by 
surprise  !"  exclaimed  good  Mr.  Hardinge,  clapping  his  hand  on 
my  shoulder,  as  if  to  say  he  could  now  begin  to  treat  me  like  a 
man.  "  I  consented  to  come  down,  just  at  this  moment,  because 
the  last  Canton  ship  that  arrived  brought  the  intelligence  that 
the  Crisis  was  to  sail  in  ten  days." 

"  And  you  may  judge  of  our  surprise,"  said  Rupert,  "  when 
we  read  the  report  in  the  papers,  'The  Crisis,  Captain  Wal- 
lingford?  " 

"  I  supposed  my  letters  from  the  island  had  prepared  you  for 
this,"  I  observed. 

"  In  them,  you  spoke  of  Mr.  Marble,  and  I  naturally  con 
cluded,  when  it  came  to  the  pinch,  the  man  would  resume  the 
command,  and  bring  the  ship  home.  Duty  to  the  owners  would 
be  apt  to  induce  him." 

"  He  did  not,"  I  answered,  a  little  proudly  perhaps,  forgetting 
poor  Marble's  probable  situation,  for  an  instant,  in  my  own  van 
ity.  "  Mr.  Marble  understood  well,  that  if  I  knew  nothing  else, 
I  knew  how  to  take  care  of  a  ship." 

"  So  it  seems,  my  dear  boy,  indeed,  so  it  doth  seem !"  said 
Mr.  Hardinge,  kindly.  "  I  hear  from  all  quarters,  your  conduct 
commended ;  and  the  recovery  of  the  vessel  from  the  French, 
was  really  worthy  of  Truxtun  himself." 

At  that  day,  Truxtun  was  the  great  gun  of  American  naval 
idolatry,  and  had  as  much  local  reputation,  as  Nelson  himself 
enjoyed  in  England.  The  allusion  was  a  sore  assault  on  my 
modesty ;  but  I  got  along  with  it,  as  well  as  I  could. 

"  I  endeavored  to  do  my  duty,  sir,"  I  answered,  trying  not  to 
look  at  Lucy,  and  seem  meek ;  "  and  it  would  have  been  a  ter 
rible  disgrace  to  have  come  home,  and  been  obliged  to  say  the 
French  got  the  ship  from  us  when  we  were  all  asleep/ 


304  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

"  But  you  took  a  snip  from  the  French,  in  that  manner,  and 
kept  her  too !"  said  a  soft  voice,  every  intonation  of  which  was 
music  to  me. 

I  looked  round  and  saw  the  speaking  eyes  of  Lucy,  just  clear 
of  the  gray  coat  of  her  father,  behind  which  she  instinctively 
shrank,  the  instant  she  caught  my  glance. 

"  Yes,"  I  answered,  "  we  did  something  of  that  sort,  and 
were  a  little  more  fortunate  than  our  enemies.  But,  you  will 
recollect,  we  were  much  favored  by  the  complaisance  of  poor 
Monsieur  Le  Compte,  in  leaving  us  a  schooner  to  work  our  mis 
chief  in." 

"  I  have  always  thought  that  part  of  your  story,  Miles,  a  little 
extraordinary,"  observed  Mr.  Havdinge ;  "  though  I  suppose  this 
Frenchman's  liberality  was,  in  some  measure,  a  matter  of  neces 
sity,  out  there,  in  the  middle  of  the  Pacific." 

"  I  hardly  think  you  do  Captain  Le  Compte  justice,  sir.  He 
was  a  chivalrous  fellow,  and  every  way  a  gallant  seaman.  It  is 
possible,  he  was  rather  'more  in  a  hurry  than  he  might  have 
been,  but  for  his  passengers — that  is  all — at  least,  I  have  always 
suspected  that  the  wish  to  have  Miss  Merton  all  to  himself,  in 
duced  him  to  get  rid  of  us  as  soon  as  possible.  He  evidently 
admired  her,  and  could  have  been  jealous  of  a  dead-eye." 

"  Miss  Merton !"  exclaimed  Grace.     "  Jealous !" 

"  Miss  Merton  !"  put  in  Rupert,  leaning  forward,  curiously. 

"  Miss  Merton  !  And  jealous  of  dead-eyes,  and  wishing  to 
get  rid  of  us !"  said  Mr.  Hardinge,  smiling.  "  Pray  who  is 
Miss  Merton  ?  and  who  are  the  us  ?  and  what  are  the  dead- 
eyes  ?" 

Lucy  was  silent. 

"Why,  sir,  I  thought  I  wrote  you  all  about  the  Mertons. 
How  we  met  them  in  London,  and  then  found  them  prisoners  to 
Monsieur  Le  Compte,  and  that  I  intended  to  carry  them  to  Can 
ton  in  the  Crisis  ?" 

"  You  told  us  some  of  this,  certainly ;  but  though  you  may 
have  written  '  all  about'  a  Major  Merton,  you  forgot  to  teh1  us 
'about  all1  the  Mertons.  This  is  the  first  syllable  I  have  ever 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  36-3 

Lad  about  a  Miss  Merton.     How  is  it,  girls — did  Miles  speak 
of  any  one  but  the  major  in  his  letters  ?" 

"  Not  a  syllable  to  me,  sir,  of  any  young  lady,  I  can  assure 
you,"  replied  Grace,  laughing.  "  How  was  it  to  you,  Lucy  ?" 

"  Of  course  he  would  not  tell  me  that  which  he  thought  fit  to 
conceal  from  his  own  sister,"  said  Lucy,  in  a  low  voice. 

"  It  is  odd  I  should  have  forgotten  to  mention  her,"  I  cried, 
endeavoring  to  laugh  it  off.  "  Young  men  do  not  often  forget 
to  write  about  young  ladies." 

"  This  Miss  Merton  is  young,  then,  brother  ?" 

"  About  your  own  age,  Grace." 

"  And  handsome — and  agreeable — and  accomplished  ?" 

"  Something  like  yourself,  my  dear." 

"  But  handsome,  I  take  it  for  granted,  Miles,"  observed  Mr. 
Hardinge,  "  by  the  manner  in  which  you  have  omitted  to  speak 
of  her  charms,  in  your  letters !" 

"  Why,  sir,  I  think  most  persons,  that  is  the  world  in  general, 
1  mean  such  as  are  not  over-fastidious,  would  consider  Miss 
Merton  particularly  handsome  ;  agreeable  in  person  and  features, 
1  would  be  understood  to  say." 

"  Oh  !  you  are  sufficiently  explicit ;  everybody  can  understand 
you,"  added  my  laughing  guardian,  who  had  no  more  thought 
of  getting  me  married  to  his  own  daughter  than  to  a  German 
princess  of  a  hundred  and  forty-five  quarterings,  if  there  are  any 
such  things ;  "  some  other  time  we  will  have  the  particulars  of 
her  eyes,  hair,  teeth,  etc.,  etc." 

"  Oh !  sir,  you  may  save  me  the  trouble  by  looking  at  hex 
yourself,  to-morrow,  since  she  and  her  father  are  both  here." 

"Mere/"  exclaimed  all  four  in  a  breath;  Lucy's  extreme  sur 
prise  extorting  the  monosyllable  from  her  reserve  even  a  little 
louder  than  from  the  rest. 

"  Certainly,  here  ;  father,  daughter,  and  servants.  I  dare  say 
I  omitted  to  speak  of  the  servants  in  my  letters,  too,  but  a  poor 
fellow  who  has  a  great  deal  to  do  cannot  think  of  every  thing 
in  a  minute.  Major  Merton  has  a  touch  of  the  liver-complaint, 
and  it  would  not  do  to  -leave  him  in  a  warm  climate.  So,  no 


366  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

other  chance  offering,  he  is  proceeding  to  England,  by  the  way 
of  America." 

"  And  how  long  had  you  these  people  on  board  your  ship, 
Miles  ?"  Grace  asked,  a  little  gravely. 

"Actually  on  board  with  myself,  about  nine  months,  I  should 
think ;  but  including  the  time  in  London,  at  Canton,  and  on  the 
island,  I  should  call  our  acquaintance  one  of  rather  more  than 
a  year's  standing." 

"  Long  enough,  certainly,  to  make  a  young  lady  sufficiently 
obvious  to  a  young  gentleman's  memory,  not  to  be  forgotten  in 
his  letters." 

After  this  pointed  speech  there  was  a  silence,  which  Mr.  Har- 
dinge  broke  by  some  questions  about  the  passage  home  from 
Canton.    As  it  was  getting  cool  on  the  Battery,  however,  we  all 
moved  away,  proceeding  to   Mrs.  Bradfort's.     This  lady,  as  I 
afterward  discovered,  was  much  attached  to  Lucy,  and  had  in 
sisted  on  giving  her  these  opportunities  of  seeing  the  world. 
She  was  quite  at  her  ease  in  her  circumstances,  and  belonged  to 
a  circle  a  good  deal  superior  to  that  into  which  Grace  and  my 
self  could  have  claimed  admission  in  right  of  our  own  social 
position.     Lucy  had  been  well  received  as  her  relative,  and  as  a 
clergyman's  daughter,  and  Grace  on  her  own  account,  as  I  after 
ward  learned.     It  would  be  attaching  too  much  credit  to  Claw- 
bonny  to  say  that  either  of  the  girls  had  not  improved  by  this 
association,  though  it  was  scarcely  possible  to  make  Grace  more 
feminine  and  lady-like  than  she  had  been  made  by  nature.    The 
effect  on  Lucy  was  simply  to  put  a  little  reserve  on  her  native 
frankness  and  sturdy  honesty ;  though  candor  compels  me  to 
say,  that  mingling  with  the  world,  and  especially  the  world  to 
which  they  had  been  introduced  by  Mrs.  Bradfort,  had  certainly 
increased  the  native  charm  of  manner  that  each  possessed.     I 
began  to  think  Emily  Merton,  so  far  from  possessing  any  advan 
tage  over  the  two  girls,  might  now  improve  a  little  herself  by 
associating  with  them. 

At  the  house,  I  had  to  tell  my  whole  story,  and  to  answer  a 
multitude  of  questions.     Not  a  syllable  more  was  said  about 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  367 

Miss  Merton ;  and  even  Lucy  had  smiles  to  bestow  and  remarks 
to  make,  as  before.  When  we  got  to  the  lights  where  the  girls 
could  remove  their  shawls  and  hats,  I  made  each  of  them  stand 
before  me,  in  order  to  ascertain  how  much  time  had  altered 
them.  Grace  was  now  nineteen  ;  and  Lucy  was  only  six  months 
her  junior.  The  greatest  change  was  in  the  latter.  Her  form 
had  ripened  into  something  as  near  as  possible  to  girlish  perfec 
tion.  In  this  respect  she  had  the  advantage  of  Grace,  who  was 
a  little  too  slight  and  delicate ;  whereas  Lucy,  without  any  of 
the  heaviness  that  so  often  accompanies  a  truly  rounded  person, 
and  which  was  perhaps  a  slight  defect  in  Emily  Merton's  figure, 
was  without  an  angle  of  any  sort,  in  her  entire  outline.  Grace, 
always  so  handsome,  and  so  intellectual  in  the  expression  of  her 
countenance,  had  improved  less  in  this  respect,  than  Lucy, 
whose  eyes  had  obtained  a  tenderness  and  feeling  that  rendered 
them,  to  me,  even  more  attractive  than  those  of  my  own  clear 
sister.  In  a  word,  any  man  might  have  been  proud,  at  finding 
two  such  admirable  creatures  interested  in  him,  as  interested, 
every  look,  smile,  syllable,  and  gesture  of  these  girls,  denoted 
they  were  in  me. 

All  this  time,  Neb  had  been  overlooked.  He  had  followed  us 
to  the  house,  however,  and  was  already  engaged  in  a  dark- 
colored  flirtation  with  a  certain  Miss  Chloe  Clawbonny,  his  own 
second-cousin,  in  the  kitchen  ;  a  lady  who  had  attracted  a  por 
tion  of  his  admiration,  before  we  sailed,  and  who  had  accom 
panied  her  young  mistress  to  town.  As  soon  as  it  was  ascer 
tained  the  fellow  was  below,  Lucy,  who  was  quite  at  home  in 
her  kinswoman's  house,  insisted  on  his  being  introduced.  ] 
saw  by  the  indulgent  smile  of  Mrs.  Bradfort,  that  Lucy  was  not 
exceeding  her  conceded  privileges,  and  Neb  was  ordered  up, 
forthwith.  Never  was  there  a  happier  fellow  than  this  "  nigger" 
appeared  to  be,  on  that  occasion.  He  kept  rolling  his  tarpaulin 
between  his  fingers,  shifting  his  weight  from  leg  to  leg,  and 
otherwise  betraying  the  confusion  of  one  questioned  by  his  bet 
ters  ;  for,  in  that  day,  a  negro  was  ready  enough  to  allow  he  had 
his  betters,  and  did  not  feel  he  was  injured  in  so  doing.  At  the 


368  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

present  time,  I  am  wel1  aware  that  the  word  is  proscribed  even 
in  the  State's  Prisons  ;  everybody  being  just  as  good  as  every 
body  else ;  though  some  have  the  misfortune  to  be  sentenced  to 
hard  labor,  while  others  are  permitted  to  go  at  large.  As  a 
matter  of  course,  the  selections  made  through  the  ballot-boxes, 
only  go  to  prove  that  "  one  man  is  as  good  as  another." 

Our  party  did  not  separate  until  quite  late.  Suppers  were 
eaten  in  1802 ;  and  I  was  invited  to  sit  down  with  the  rest  of 
the  family,  and  a  gay  set  we  were.  It  was  then  the  fashion  to 
diink  toasts;  gentlemen  giving  ladies,  and  ladies  gentlemen. 
The  usage  was  singular,  but  very  general ;  more  especially  in 
the  better  sort  of  houses.  We  men  drank  our  wine,  as  a  matter 
of  course ;  while  the  ladies  sipped  theirs,  in  that  pretty  manner 
in  which  females  moisten  their  lips,  on  such  occasions.  After  a 
time,  Mrs.  Bradfort,  who  was  very  particular  in  the  observance 
of  forms,  gayly  called  on  Mr.  Hardinge  for  his  toast. 

"  My  dear  Mrs.  Bradfort,"  said  the  divine,  good-humoredly, 
"  if  it  were  not  in  your  own  house,  and  contrary  to  all  rule  to 
give  a  person  who  is  present,  I  certainly  should  drink  to  your 
self.  Bless  me,  bless  me,  whom  shall  I  give  ?  I  suppose  I  shall 
not  be  permitted  to  give  our  new  Bishop,  Doctor  Moore  ?" 

The  cry  of  "  No  Bishop !"  was  even  more  unanimous  than 
it  is  at  this  moment,  among  those  who,  having  all  their  lives 
dissented  from  episcopal  authority,  fancy  it  an  evidence  of  an 
increasing  influence  to  join  in  a  clamor  made  by  their  own 
voices  ;  and  this,  moreover,  on  a  subject  that  not  one  in  a  hun 
dred  among  them  has  given  himself  the  trouble  even  to  skim. 
Our  opposition — in  which  Mrs.  Bradfort  joined,  by  the  way — 
was  of  a  very  different  nature,  however ;  proceeding  from  a  de 
sire  to  learn  what  lady  Mr.  Hardinge  could  possibly  select,  at 
such  a  moment.  I  never  saw  the  old  gentleman  so  confused  be 
fore.  He  laughed,  tried  to  dodge  the  appeal,  fidgeted,  and  at  last 
fairly  blushed.  All  this  proceeded,  not  from  any  preference  for 
any  particular  individual  of  the  sex,  but  from  natural  diffidence, 
the  perfect  simplicity  and  nature  of  his  character,  which  caused 
him  to  be  abashed  at  even  appearing  to  select  a  female  for  a 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  369 

toast.  It  was  a  beautiful  picture  of  masculine  truth  and  purity  ! 
Still,  we  would  not  be  put  off;  and  the  old  gentleman,  compos 
ing  his  countenance  five  or  six  times  in  vain  efforts  to  reflect, 
then  looking  as  grave  as  if  about  to  proceed  to  prayer,  raised 
his  glass,  and  said — 

"  Peggy  Perott !" 

A  general  laugh  succeeded  this  announcement,  Peggy  Perott 
being  an  old  maid  who  went  about  tending  the  sick  for  hire,  in 
the  vicinity  of  Clawbonny,  and  known  to  us  all  as  the  ugliest 
woman  in  the  country. 

"  Why  do  you  first  insist  on  my  giving  a  toast,  and  then 
laugh  at  it  when  given  ?"  cried  Mr.  Hardinge,  half  amused,  half 
serious  in  his  expostulations.  "  Peggy  is  an  excellent  woman, 
and  one  of  the  most  useful  I  know." 

"  I  wonder,  my  dear  sir,  you  did  not  think  of  adding  a  senti 
ment  !"  cried  I,  a  little  pertly. 

"  And  if  I  had,  it  would  have  been  such  a  one  as  no  woman 
need  be  ashamed  to  hear  attached  to  her  name.  But  enough 
of  this ;  I  have  given  Peggy  Perott,  and  you  are  bound  to  drink 
her" — that  we  had  done  already  ;  "  and  now  cousin,  as  I  have 
passed  through  the  fiery  furnace" — 

"  Unscathed  ?"  demanded  Lucy,  laughing  ready  to  kill  her 
self. 

"  Yes,  unscathed,  miss :  and  now,  cousin,  I  ask  of  you  to 
honor  us  with  a  toast." 

Mrs.  Bradfort  had  been  a  widow  many  years,  and  was  forti 
fied  with  the  panoply  of  her  state.  Accustomed  to  such  appeals, 
which,  when  she  was  young  and  handsome,  had  been  of  much 
more  frequent  occurrence  than  of  late,  slie  held  her  glass  for  the 
wine  with  perfect  self-possession,  and  gave  her  toast  with  the 
conscious  dignity  of  one  who  had  often  been  solicited  in  vain 
"  to  change  her  condition." 

"  I  will  give  you,"  she  said,  raising  her  person  and  her  voice, 
as  if  to  invite  scrutiny,  "  my  dear  old  friend,  good  Dr.  Wilson." 

It  was  incumbent  on  a  single  person  to  give  another  who  was 
also  single ;  and  the  widow  had  been  true  to  the  usage ;  but, 
16* 


370  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

"good  Dr.  Wilson"  was  a  half  superannuated  clergyman, 

no  one  could  suspect  of  inspiring  any  thing  beyond  friendship. 

"  Dear  me — dear  me !"  cried  Mr.  Hardinge,  earnestly ;  "  how 
much  more  thoughtful,  Mrs.  Bradfort,  you  are  than  myself! 
Had  I  thought  a  moment,  /  might  have  given  the  Doctor ;  foi 
I  studied  with  him,  and  honor  him  vastly." 

This  touch  of  simplicity  produced  another  laugh — how  easily 
we  all  laughed  that  night ! — and  it  caused  a  little  more  confu 
sion  in  the  excellent  divine.  Mrs.  Bradfort  then  called  on  me, 
as  was  her  right;  but  I  begged  that  Rupert  might  precede  me, 
he  knowing  more  persons,  and  being  now  a  sort  of  man  of  the 
world. 

"  I  will  give  the  charming  Miss  Winthrop,"  said  Rupert, 
without  a  moment's  hesitation,  tossing  off  his  glass  with  an  air 
that  said,  "  how  do  you  like  that  ?" 

As  Winthrop  was  a  highly  respectable  name,  it  denoted  the 
set  in  which  Rupert  moved ;  and  as  for  the  young  lady,  I  dare 
say  she  merited  his  eulogium,  though  I  never  happened  to  see 
her.  It  was  something,  however,  in  1802,  for  a  youngster  to 
dare  to  toast  a  Winthrop,  or  a  Morris,  or  a  Livingston,  or  a  De 
Lancey,  or  a  Stuyvesant,  or  a  Beekinan,  or  a  Van  Renssellaer,  or 
a  Schuyler,  or  a  Rutherford,  or  a  Bayard,  or  a  Watts,  or  a  Van 
Cortlandt,  or  a  Verplanck,  or  a  Jones,  or  a  Walton,  or  any  of 
that  set.  They,  and  twenty  similar  families,  composed  the 
remnant  of  the  colonial  aristocracy,  and  still  made  head,  within 
the  limits  of  Manhattan,  against  the  inroads  of  the  Van — some 
thing  elses.  Alas !  alas !  how  changed  is  all  this,  though  I  am 
obliged  to  believe  it  is  all  for  the  best. 

"Do  you  know  MisS  Winthrop?"  I  asked  of  Grace,  in  a 
whisper. 

"Not  at  all;  I  am  not  much  in  that  set,"  she  answered, 
quietly.  "Rupert  and  Lucy  have  been  noticed  by  many  pei- 
sons  whom  I  do  not  know." 

This  was  the  first  intimation  I  got,  that  my  sister  did  not 
possess  all  the  advantages  in  society  that  were  enjoyed  by  her 
friend.  As  is  always  the  case  where  it  is  believed  to  be  our 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  371 

loss,  I  ft-lt  indignant  at  first ;  had  it  been  the  reverse,  I  dare  say 
I  should  have  fancied  it  all  very  right.  Consequences  grew  out 
of  these  distinctions  which  I  could  not  then  foresee,  bat  which 
will  be  related  in  their  place.  Rupert  now  called  on  Grace  for 
her  toast,  a  lady  commonly  succeeding  a  gentleman.  My  sister 
did  not  seem  in  the  least  disconcerted :  but,  after  a  moment's 
hesitation,  she  said — 

"  Mr.  Edward  Marston." 

This  was  a  strange  name  to  me,  but  I  afterward  ascertained 
it  belonged  to  a  respectable  young  man  who  visited  Mrs.  Brad- 
fort's,  and  who  stood  very  well  with  all  his  acquaintances.  I 
looked  at  Rupert,  to  note  the  effect ;  but  Rupert  was  as  calm  as 
Grace  herself  had  been  when  he  gave  Miss  Winthrop. 

"  I  believe  I  have  no  one  to  call  upon  but  you,  Miles,"  said 
Grace,  smiling. 

"  Me  !  Why,  you  all  know  I  am  not  acquainted  with  a  soul. 
Our  Ulster  county  girls  have  almost  all  gone  out  of  my  recollec 
tion  ;  besides,  no  one  would  know  them  here,  should  I  mention 
twenty." 

"  You  strangely  forget,  brother,  that  most  of  us  are  Ulster 
county  folk.  Try  if  you  can  recall  no  young  lady" — 

"  Oh  !  easily  enough,  for  that  matter ;  a  young  fellow  can 
hardly  have  lived  nine  months  in  the  same  cabin  with  Emily, 
and  not  think  of  her  when  hard  pushed ;  I  will  give  you  Miss 
Emily  Merton." 

The  toast  was  drunk,  and  I  thought  Mr.  Hardinge  looked 
thoughtful,  like  one  who  had  a  guardian's  cares,  and  that  Grace 
was  even  grave.  I  did  not  dare  look  at  Lucy,  though  I  could 
have  toasted  her  all  night,  had  it  been  in  rule  to  drink  a  person 
who  was  present.  We  began  to  chat  again,  and  I  had  answered 
some  eight  or  ten  questions,  when  Mrs.  Bradfort,  much  too  pre 
cise  to  make  any  omissions,  reminded  us  that  we  had  not  yet 
been  honored  with  Miss  Lucy  Hardinge's  toast.  Lucy  had  en 
joyed  plenty  of  time  to  reflect ;  and  she  bowed,  paused  a  mo 
ment  as  if  to  summon  resolution,  and  then  mentioned — 

"  Mr.  Andrew  Drewett." 


372  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

So,  then,  Lucy  Hardinge  toasted  this  Mr.  Drewett — the  very 
youth  with  whom  she  had  been  in  such  animated  discourse  when 
I  first  met  the  party  !  Had  I  been  more  familiar  with  the 
world,  I  should  have  thought  nothing  of  a  thing  that  was  so 
common ;  or,  did  I  understand  human  nature  better,  I  might 
have  known  that  no  sensitive  and  delicate  woman  would  betray 
a  secret  that  was  dear  to  her,  under  so  idle  a  form.  But  I  was 
young,  and  ready  myself  to  toast  the  girl  I  preferred  before 
the  universe ;  and  I  could  not  make  suitable  allowances  for  dif 
ference  of  sex  and  temperament.  Lucy's  toast  made  me  very 
uncomfortable  for  the  rest  of  the  evening ;  and  I  was  not  sorry 
when  Rupert  reminded  me  that  it  was  eleven,  and  that  he  would 
go  with  me  to  a  tavern,  in  order  to  look  for  a  room. 

The  next  morning  was  passed  in  transacting  the  business  of 
the  ship.  I  found  myself  much  noticed  among  the  merchants 
and  shipmasters ;  and  one  of  my  owners  took  me  on  'Change, 
that  I  might  see  and  be  seen.  As  the  papers  had  spoken  of  the 
recapture  of  the  Crisis,  on  the  arrival  of  the  Pretty  Poll,  and 
had  now  each  an  article  on  the  arrival  of  the  ship,  I  had  every 
reason  to  be  satisfied  with  my  reception.  There  are  men  so 
strong  in  principle,  as  well  as  intellect,  I  do  suppose,  that  they 
can  be  content  with  the  approbation  of  their  own  consciences, 
and  who  can  smile  at  the  praises  or  censure  of  the  world  alike ; 
but  I  confess  to  a  strong  sympathy  with  the  commendation  of 
my  fellow-creatures,  and  as  strong  a  distaste  for  their  disapproba 
tion.  I  know  this  is  not  the  way  to  make  a  very  great  man  ; 
for  he  who  cannot  judge,  feel,  and  act  for  himself,  will  always 
be  in  danger  of  making  undue  sacrifices  to  the  wishes  of  others ; 
but  you  can  have  no  more  of  a  cat  than  the  skin ;  and  I  was 
sufficiently  proud  at  finding  myself  a  miniature  hero,  about  the 
lower  end  of  Wall  street,  and  in  the  columns  of  the  newspapers. 
As  for  these  last,  no  one  can  complain  of  their  zeal  in  extolling 
every  thing  national.  To  believe  them,  the  country  never  was 
wrong,  or  defeated,  01  in  a  condition  to  be  defeated,  except 
when  a  political  opponent  could  be  made  to  suffer  by  an  oppo- 
nte  theory  ;  and  then  nothing  was  ever  light.  As  to  fame,  I 


.AFLOAT   AND   ASHORE. 


373 


have  since  discovered  they  consider  that  of  each  individual  to 
be  public  property,  in  which  each  American  has  a  part  and  par 
cel,  the  editors,  themselves,  more  than  the  man  who  has  thrown 
the  article  into  the  common  lot.  But  I  was  young  in  1802, 
and  even  a  paragraph  in  my  praise  in  a  newspaper  had  a  certain 
charm  for  me,  that  I  will  not  deny.  Then  I  had  done  well,  as 
even  my  enemies,  if  I  had  any,  must  have  admitted. 


374  AFLOAT     AND      ABHOR  R. 


CHAPTER  XXIL 

"Ships  are  hut  boards,  sailors  but  men:  there  be  land-rats  and  water-rats,  water* 
thieves  and  land-thieves— I  mean  pirates;  and  then  there  is  the  peril  of  waters,  winds, 
and  rocks;  the  man  is,  notwithstanding,  sufficient; — three  thousand  ducats; — I  think 
I  may  take  his  bond." — SHTLOCK. 

I  SAW  Grace,  and  Lucy,  and  Rupert,  and  good  Mr.  Hardinge, 
every  day,  but  I  could  not  find  time  to  call  on  the  Mertons  until 
near  the  close  of  a  week.  I  then  paid  them  a  visit,  and  found 
them  glad  to  see  me,  but  not  at  all  in  want  of  my  attentions  to 
make  them  comfortable.  The  major  had  exhibited  his  claims 
to  the  British  consul,  who  happened  to  be  a  native  Manhattancse, 
and  was  well-connected,  a  circumstance  that  then  gave  him  an 
influence  in  society  that  his  commission  alone  would  not  have 
conferred.  Colonel  Barclay,  for  so  was  this  gentleman  called, 
had  taken  the  Mertons  by  the  hand  as  a  matter  of  course,  and 
his  example  being  followed  by  others,  I  found  that  they  were 
already  in  the  best  circle  of  the  place.  Emily  mentioned  to  me 
the  names  of  several  of  those  with  whom  she  had  exchanged 
visits,  and  I  knew  at  once,  through  Lucy's  and  Grace's  conver 
sation,  and  from  my  own  general  knowledge  of  the  traditions 
of  the  colony  and  state,  that  they  were  among  the  leading  peo 
ple  of  the  land,  socially  if  not  politically ;  a  class  altogether 
above  any  with  whom  I  had  myself  ever  associated.  Now  I 
knew  that  the  master  of  a  merchantman,  whatever  might  be  his 
standing  with  his  owner  or  consignee,  or  the  credit  he  had 
gained  among  his  fellows,  was  not  likely  to  get  admission  into 
this  set ;  and  there  was  the  comfortable  prospect  before  me,  of 
having  my  own  sister  and  the  two  other  girls  I  admired  most 
and  loved  best  in  the  world — next  to  Grace,  of  course — visiting 
round  in  houses,  of  which  the  doors  were  shut  against  myself. 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  375 

Tliis  is  always  unpleasant,  but  in  my  case  it  turned  out  to  be 
more. 

When  I  told  Emily  that  Grace  and  Lucy  were  in  town,  and 
intended  coming  to  see  her  that  very  morning,  I  thought  she 
manifested  less  curiosity  than  would  have  been  the  case  a  month 
before. 

"Is  Miss  Hardinge  a  relative  of  Mr.  Rupert  Hardinge,  the 
gentleman  to  whom  I  was  introduced  at  dinner,  yesterday  ?"  she 
demanded,  after  expressing  the  pleasure  it  would  give  her  to  see 
the  ladies. 

I  knew  that  Rupert  had  dined  out  the  day  before,  and  there 
being  no  one  else  of  the  same  name,  I  answered  in  the  affirma 
tive. 

"  He  is  the  son  of  a  respectable  clergyman,  and  of  very  good 
connections,  I  hear." 

"  The  Hardinges  are  so  considered  among  us ;  both  Rupert's 
father  and  grandfather  were  clergymen,  and  his  great-grand 
father  was  a  seaman — I  trust  you  will  think  none  the  worse  of 
him  for  that." 

"  A  sailor  !  I  had  supposed,  from  what  some  of  those  pres 
ent  said — that  is,  I  did  not  know  it." 

"  Perhaps  they  told  you  that  his  great-grandfather  was  a 
British  officer  ?" 

Emily  colored,  and  then  she  laughed  faintly,  admitting,  how 
ever,  that  I  had  guessed  right. 

"  Well,  all  this  was  true,"  I  added,  "  though  he  was  a  sailor. 
Old  Captain  Hardinge — or  Commodore  Hardinge,  as  he  used  to 
be  called,  for  he  once  commanded  a  squadron — was  in  the  Eng 
lish  navy." 

"  Oh  !  that  sort  of  a  sailor!"  cried  Emily,  quickly.  "  I  did  not 
know  that  it  was  usual  to  call  gentlemen  in  the  navy,  seamen." 

"  They  would  make  a  poor  ligure  if  they  were  not,  Miss  Mer- 
toB ;  you  might  as  well  say  that  a  judge  is  no  lawyer." 

This  was  enough,  however,  to  satisfy  me  that  Miss  \Merton 
no  longer  considered  the  master  of  the  Crisis  the  first  man  in 
the  world. 


376  AFLOAT      AND     ASHORE. 

A  ring  announced  the  arrival  of  the  two  girls.  They  were 
shown  up,  and  I  soon  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  these  three 
charming  young  women  together.  Emily  received  her  two 
guests  very  courteously,  and  was  frank,  nay  warm,  in  the 
expression  of  her  gratitude  for  all  that  I  had  done  for  herself 
and  her  father.  She  even  went  back  so  far  as  to  speak  of  the 
occurrence  in  the  Park,  at  London,  and  was  gracious  enough  to 
declare  that  she  and  her  parents  owed  their  lives  to  my  interfer 
ence.  All  this  gave  her  listeners  great  pleasure,  for  I  believe 
neither  ever  tired  of  hearing  my  praises.  After  this  opening, 
the  conversation  turned  on  New  York,  its  gayeties,  and  the  dif 
ferent  persons  known  to  them  mutually.  I  saw  that  the  two 
girls  were  struck  with  the  set  Miss  Merton  was  in,  which  was  a 
shade  superior  even  to  that  of  Mrs.  Bradfort's,  though  the  fusion 
which  usually  accompanies  that  sort  of  thing  brought  portions 
of  each  circle  within  the  knowledge  of  the  other.  As  the  per 
sons  named  were  utter  strangers  to  me,  I  had  nothing  to  say, 
and  sat  listening  in  silence.  The  opportunity  was  improved  by 
comparing  the  girls  with  each  other. 

In  delicacy  of  appearance,  Grace  and  Lucy  each  had  the  ad 
vantage  of  the  English  beauty.  Their  hands  and  feet  were 
smaller,  their  waists  finer,  and  their  tournures,  generally,  I 
thought  the  most  pleasing.  Emily  had  the  advantage  in  com 
plexion,  though  her  color  had  less  fineness  and  delicacy.  Per 
haps  her  teeth  were  the  most  brilliant ;  though  Grace  and 
Lucy,  particularly  the  latter,  had  very  fine  teeth.  The  English 
girl's  shoulders  and  bust,  generally,  would  have  been  more  ad 
mired  than  those  of  most  American — particularly  than  most 
New  York — girls ;  but  it  was  not  possible  to  surpass  those  of 
Lucy.  As  a  whole,  Emily's  countenance  had  the  most  spirit. 
Lucy's  the  most  finesse  and  feeling.  I  make  no  comparison 
with  the  expression  of  Grace's  countenance,  which  was  alto 
gether  too  remarkable  for  its  intellectual  character,  to  be  includ 
ed  in  any  thing  like  a  national  classification.  I  remember  I 
thought,  as  they  sat  there  in  a  row  conversing  frankly  and 
cheerfully  together,  Lucy  the  handsomest,  in  her  pretty  neat 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  3V/ 

morning  dress ;  while  I  had  my  doubts  whether  Emily  would 
not  have  extorted  the  most  applause  in  a  ball-room.  This  dis 
tinction  is  mentioned,  because  I  believe  it  national. 

The  visit  lasted  an  hour ;  for  I  had  expressed  a  wish  to  all 
parties  that  they  would  become  acquainted,  and  the  girls 
seemed  mutually  pleased.  As  they  chatted,  I  listened  to  the 
tones  of  their  voices,  and  fancied,  on  the  whole,  that  Emily  had 
slightly  the  advantage  in  intonation  and  accent ;  though  it  was 
scarcely  perceptible,  and  it  was  an  advantage  that  was  attended 
by  a  slight  sacrifice  of  the  charm  of  natural  utterance.  She 
was  a  little  more  artificial  in  this  respect  than  her  companions, 
and  insomuch  less  pleasing ;  though,  had  the  comparison  been 
made  with  the  Manhattan  style  of  the  present  day,  the  odds 
would  have  been  immensely  in  her  favor.  In  1802,  however, 
some  attention  was  still  paid  to  the  utterance,  tones  of  voice, 
and  manner  of  speaking  of  young  ladies.  The  want  of  it  all, 
just  now,  is  the  besetting  vice  of  the  whole  of  our  later  instruc 
tion  of  the  sex  ;  it  being  almost  as  rare  a  thing  now-a-days,-to 
find  a  young  American  girl  who  speaks  her  own  language  grace 
fully,  as  it  is  to  find  one  who  is  not  of  pleasing  person. 

When  the  young  ladies  parted,  it  was  with  an  understanding 
that  they  were  soon  to  meet  again.  I  shook  hands  with  Emily, 
English  fashion,  and  took  my  leave  at  the  same  time. 

"  Well,  Miles,"  said  Grace,  as  soon  as  we  were  in  the  street, 
"  you  have  certainly  been  of  service  to  a  very  charming  young 
woman — I  like  her,  excessively." 

"  And  you,  Lucy — I  hope  you  agree  with  Grace,  in  thinking 
my  friend,  Emily  Merton,  a  charming  young  woman." 

Lucy  did  not  speak  as  frankly,  or  as  decidedly  as  Grace,  so  far 
as  manner  was  concerned  ;  though  she  coincided  in  words. 

"  I  am  of  the  same  opinion,"  she  said,  in  a  tone  that  was 
far  less  cheerful  than  her  usually  very  cheerful  manner.  "  She 
is  one  of  the  loveliest  creatures  I  ever  saw — and  it  is  nc 
wonder" — 

u  What  is  no  wonder,  dear  ?"  asked  Grace,  observing-  that 
Li^r  friend  hesitated  to  proceed. 


378  AFLOAT     AND     A  SHORE. 

"  Oh  !  I  was  about  to  say  something  silly,  and  had  better  not 
finish  the  speech.  But,  what  a  finished  manner  Miss  Merton 
possesses ;  do  you  not  think  so,  Grace  ?" 

"  I  wish  she  had  a  little  less  of  it,  dear ;  that  is  precisely  what 
I  should  find  fault  with  in  her  deportment.  It  is  manner ;  and, 
though  we  all  must  have  some,  it  strikes  me  it  ought  not  to  be 
seen.  I  think  all  the  Europeans  we  saw  in  town,  last  winter, 
Lucy,  had  more  or  less  of  this  manner." 

"  I  dare  say  it  would  seem  so  to  us  ;  notwithstanding,  it  may 
be  very  agreeable  to  those  who  are  used  to  it — a  thing  to  miss, 
when  one  gets  much  accustomed  to  it." 

As  Lucy  made  this  remark,  I  detected  a  furtive  and  timid 
glance  at  myself.  I  was  mystified  at  the  time,  and  was  actual 
ly  so  silly  as  to  think  the  dear  girl  was  talking  at  me,  and  to 
feel  a  little  resentment.  I  fancied  she  wished  to  say,  "  There, 
Master  Miles,  you  have  been  in  London,  and  on  a  desert  island 
in  the  South  Seas — the  very  extremes  of  human  habits — and 
have  got  to  be  so  sophisticated,  so  very  un-Clawbonnyish,  as  to 
feel  the  necessity  of  a  manner,  in  the  young  ladies  with  whom 
you  associate."  The  notion  nettled  me  to  a  degree  that  induced 
me  to  pretend  duty,  and  to  hurry  down  to  the  ship.  Whom 
should  I  meet,  in  Rector  street,  but  Mr.  Hardinge,  who  had 
been  across  to  the  Hudson  in  search  of  me. 

"  Come  hither,  Miles,"  said  the  excellent  old  man,  "  I  wish  to 
converse  with  you  seriously." 

As  Lucy  was  uppermost  in  my  thoughts  at  the  moment,  I 
said  to  myself — "  What  can  the  dear  old  gentleman  have  to  say, 
now  ?" 

"  I  hear  from  all  quarters  the  best  accounts  of  you,  my  dear 
boy,"  Mr.  Hardinge  continued,  "  and  I  am  told  you  make  a 
very  superior  seaman.  It  is  a  feather  in  your  cap,  indeed,  to 
have  commanded  an  Indiaman  a  twelvemonth  before  you  are  of 
age.  I  have  been  conversing  with  my  old  friend  John  Murray, 
of  the  house  of  John  Murray  &  Sons,  one  of  the  very  best  mer 
chants  in  America,  and  he  says  '  push  the  boy  ahead,  when  you 
find  the  right  stuff  in  him.  Get  him  a  ship  of  his  own,  and  that 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  37G 

will  put  Mm  on  the  true  track.  Teach  him  early  to  have  an 
eye  to  his  own  interests,  and  it  will  make  a  man  of  him,  at 
once.'  I  have  thought  the  matter  over,  have  had  a  vessel  in  my 
eye,  for  the  last  month,  and  will  purchase  her  at  once,  if  you 
like  the  plan." 

"  But  have  I  money  enough  for  such  a  thing,  my  dear  sir — 
after  having  sailed  in  the  John,  and  the  Tigris,  and  the  Crisis,  I 
should  not  like  to  take  up  with  any  of  your  B's,  No.  2." 

"  You  have  forgotten  to  mention  the  '  Pretty  Poll,'  Miles," 
said  the  divine,  smiling.  "  Be  under  no  fear,  however,  for  your 
dignity ;  the  vessel  I  have  in  treaty,  is  all  you  could  wish,  they 
tell  me,  having  made  but  one  voyage,  and  is  sold  on  account  of 
the  death  of  her  owner.  As  for  money,  you  will  remember  I 
have  thirteen  thousand  dollars  of  your  income  invested  in  stocks, 
and  stocks  that  cost  but  ten.  The  peace  has  brought  every 
thing  up,  and  you  are  making  money,  right  and  left.  How 
have  your  own  pay  and  private  venture  turned  out  ?" 

"  Perfectly  well,  sir.  I  am  near  three  thousand  dollars  in 
pocket,  and  shall  have  no  need  to  call  on  you,  for  my  personal 
wants.  Then  I  have  my  prize  money  to  touch.  Even  Neb, 
wages  and  prize  money,  brings  me  nine  hundred  dollars.  With 
your  permission,  sir,  I  should  like  to  give  the  fellow  his  free 
dom." 

"  Wait  till  you  are  of  age,  Miles,  and  then  you  can  do  as  you 
please.  I  hold  four  thousand  dollars  of  your  invested  money, 
which  has  been  paid  in,  and  I  have  placed  it  in  stocks.  Altogeth 
er,  I  find  we  can  muster,  in  solid  cash,  more  than  twenty  thou 
sand  dollars,  while  the  price  of  the  ship,  as  she  stands,  almost 
ready  for  sea,  is  only  fifteen.  Now,  go  and  look  at  the  vessel ; 
if  you  like  her,  I  will  close  the  bargain  at  once." 

"  But,  my  dear  Mr.  Hardinge,  do  you  think  yourself  exactly 
qualified  to  judge  of  the  value  of  a  ship  ?" 

"  Poh  !  poh  !  don't  imagine  I  am  so  conceited  as  to  purchase 
on  my  own  knowledge.  I  have  taken  some  of  the  very  best 
advice  of  the  city.  There  is  John  Murray,  to  begin  with — a 
great  ship-holder,  himself,  and  Archibald  Gracie,  and  William 


380  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

Bayard — all  capital  judges,  have  taken  an  interest  in  the  affair. 
Three  others  of  my  friends  have  walked  round  to  look  at  the 
vessel,  and  all  approve — not  a  dissenting  voice." 

"  May  I  ask,  sir,  who  have  seen  her,  besides  the  gentlemen 
you  have  named  ?  They,  I  admit,  are,  indeed,  good  judges." 

"  Why — why — yes — do  you  happen  to  know  any  thing  of 
Doctor  Benjamin  Moore,  now,  Miles  ?" 

"  Never  heard  of  him,  sir,  in  my  life ;  but  a  physician  can  be 
no  great  judge  of  a  ship." 

"  No  more  of  a  physician  than  yourself,  boy — Doctor  Ben 
jamin  Moore,  the  gentleman  we  elected  Bishop,  while  you  were 
absent" — 

"  Oh  !  he  you  wished  to  toast,  instead  of  Miss  Peggy  Perott," 
ciied  I,  smiling.  "  Well,  what  does  the  Bishop  think  of  her — 
if  he  approve,  she  must  be  orthodox." 

"  He  says  she  is  the  handsomest  vessel  he  ever  laid  eyes  on, 
Miles ;  and  let  me  tell  you,  the  favorable  opinion  of  so  good  a 
man  as  Doctor  Moore,  is  of  value,  even  though  it  be  about  a 
ship." 

I  could  not  avoid  laughing,  and  I  dare  say  most  of  the  read 
ers  will  also,  at  this  touch  of  simplicity ;  and  yet,  why  should 
not  a  Bishop  know  as  much  of  ships  as  a  set  of  ignoramuses 
who  never  read  a  theological  book  in  their  lives,  some  of  them 
not  even  the  Bible,  should  know  about  Bishops  ?  The  circum 
stance  was  not  a  tittle  more  absurd  than  many  that  are  occur 
ring  daily  before  our  eyes,  and  to  which,  purely  from  habit,  we 
submit,  very  much  as  a  matter  of  course. 

"  Well,  sir,"  I  replied,  as  soon  as  I  could,  "  I  will  look  at  the 
ship,  get  her  character,  and  give  you  an  answer  at  once.  I  like 
the  idea,  for  it  is  pleasant  to  be  one's  own  master." 

In  that  day,  $15,000  would  buy  a  very  excellent  ship,  as  ships 
went.  The  vessel  I  was  taken  to  see,  was  coppered  and  copper- 
fastened,  butt-bolted,  and  she  measured  just  five  hundred  ton.*. 
She  had  a  great  reputation,  as  a  sailer,  and,  what  was  thought  a 
good  deal  of  in  1802,  was  Philadelphia  built.  She  had  been 
one  voyage  to  China,  and  was  little  more  than  a  year  old,  or 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  381 

the  best  possible  age  for  a  vessel.  Her  name  was  the  "  Dawn," 
and  she  carried  an  "  Aurora"  for  her  figure-head.  Whether  she 
were,  or  were  not  inclined  to  Puseyism,  I  never  could  ascertain, 
although  I  can  affirm  she  had  the  services  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Catholic  Church  read  on  board  her  afterward,  on 
more  than  one  occasion. 

The  result  of  my  examination  and  inquiries  was  favorable,  and, 
by  the  end  of  the  week,  the  Dawn  was  purchased.  The  owners 
of  the  Crisis  were  pleased  to  express  their  regrets,  for  they  had 
intended  that  I  should  continue  in  the  command  of  their  vessel, 
but  no  one  could  object  to  a  man's  wishing  to  sail  in  his  owr 
employment.  I  made  this  important  acquisition,  at  what  was 
probably  the  most  auspicious  moment  of  American  navigation. 
It  is  a  proof  of  this  that,  the  very  day  I  was  put  in  possession  of 
the  ship,  good  freights  were  offered  to  no  less  than  four  different 
parts  of  the  world.  I  had  my  choice  between  Holland,  France, 
England,  and  China.  After  consulting  with  my  guardian.  I 
accepted  that  to  France,  which  not  only  paid  the  best,  but  T 
was  desirous  of  seeing  more  of  the  world  than  had  yet  fallen 
to  my  share.  I  could  make  a  voyage  to  Bordeaux  and  back  in 
five  months,  and  by  the  end  of  that  time  I  should  be  of  age, 
and,  consequently,  my  own  master.  As  I  intended  to  have 
great  doings  at  Clawbonny  on  that  occasion,  I  thought  it  might 
be  well  not  to  go  too  far  from  home.  Accordingly,  after  ship 
ping  Talcott  and  the  Philadelphian,  whose  name  was  Walton, 
for  my  mates,  we  began  to  take  in  cargo  as  soon  as  possible. 

In  the  mean  time  I  bethought  me  of  a  visit  to  the  paternal 
home.  It  was  a  season  of  the  year  when  most  people,  who  were 
anybodies,  left  town,  and  the  villas  along  the  shores  of  the 
Hudson  had  long  been  occupied.  Mr.  Hardinge,  too,  pined 
for  the  country  and  his  flock.  The  girls  had  had  enough  of 
town,  which  was  getting  to  be  very  dull,  and  everybody,  Rupert 
excepted,  seemed  anxious  to  go  up  the  river.  I  had  invited  the 
Mertons  to  pass  part  of  the  summer  at  the  farm,  moreover,  and 
it  was  time  the  invitation  should  be  renewed,  for  the  major's  phy 
sicians  had  advised  him  to  choose  some  cooler  residence  than 


382  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

the  streets  of  a  hot,  close  town  could  furnish  during  the  summei 
months.  Emily  had  been  so  much  engrossed  with  the  set  into 
which  she  had  fallen  since  her  landing,  and  which  it  was  easy 
for  me  to  see  was  altogether  superior  to  that  in  which  she  had 
lived  at  home,  that  I  was  surprised  at  the  readiness  with  which 
she  urged  her  father  to  redeem  his  promise. 

"  Mr.  Hardinge  tells  me,  sir,  that  Clawbonny  is  really  a  pretty 
spot,"  she  said,  "  and  the  country  around  it  is  thought  to  be 
very  healthy.  You  cannot  get  answers  from  home  (she  meant 
England)  for  several  months,  and  I  know  Captain  Wallingford 
will  be  happy  to  receive  us.  Besides,  we  are  pledged  to  accept 
this  additional  favor  from  him." 

I  thought  Major  Merton  felt  some  of  my  own  surprise  at  Em 
ily's  earnestness  and  manner,  but  his  resistance  was  very  feeble. 
The  old  gentleman's  health,  indeed,  was  pretty  thoroughly  un 
dermined,  and  I  began  to  have  seiious  doubts  of  his  living  even 
to  return  to  Europe.  He  had  some  relatives  in  Boston,  and  had 
opened  a  correspondence  with  them,  and  I  had  thought,  more 
than  once,  of  the  expediency  of  apprising  them  of  his  situation. 
At  present,  however,  nothing  better  could  be  done  than  to  get 
him  into  the  country. 

Having  made  all  the  arrangements  with  the  others,  I  went  to 
persuade  Rupert  to  be  of  the  party,  for  I  thought  it  would  make 
both  Grace  and  Lucy  so  much  the  happier. 

"  Miles,  my  dear  fellow,"  said  the  young  student,  gaping, 
"  Clawbonny  is  certainly  a  capitalish  place,  but,  you  will  admit 
it  is  somewhat  stupid  after  New  York.  My  good  kinswoman, 
Mrs.  Bradfort,  has  taken  such  a  fancy  to  us  all,  and  has  made 
me  so  comfortable — would  you  believe  it,  boy,  she  has  actually 
given  me  six  hundred  a  year,  for  the  last  two  years,  besides 
making  Lucy  presents  fit  for  a  queen.  A  sterling  woman  is  she, 
this  cousin  Margaret  of  ours  !" 

I  heard  this,  truly,  not  without  surprise ;  for,  in  settling  with 
my  owners,  I  found  Rupert  had  drawn  every  cent  to  which  he 
was  entitled,  under  the  orders  I  had  left  when  I  last  went  to  sea. 

As  Mrs.  Bradfort  was  more  than  at  her  ease,  however,  had 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

no  nearer  relative  than  Mr.  Hardinge,  and  was  much  attached 
to  the  family,  I  had  no  difficulty  in  believing  it  true,  so  far  as 
the  lady's  liberality  was  concerned.  I  heartily  wished  Rupert 
had  possessed  more  self-respect ;  but  he  was,  as  he  was ! 

"  I  am  sorry  you  cannot  go  with  us,"  I  answered,  "  for  I 
counted  on  you  to  help  amuse  the  Mertons" — 

"  The  Mertons !  Why,  surely,  they  are  not  going  to  pass  the 
summer  at  Clawbonny !" 

"  They  quit  town  with  us,  to-morrow.  Why  should  not  the 
Mertons  pass  the  summer  at  Clawbonny  ?" 

"  Why,  Miles,  my  dear  boy,  you  know  how  it  is  with  the 
world — how  it  is  with  these  English,  in  particular.  They  think 
every  thing  of  rank,  you  know,  and  are  devotees  of  style  and 
appearance,  and  all  that  sort  of  thing,  you  know,  as  no  one 
understands  better  than  myself;  for  I  pass  most  of  my  time  in 
the  English  set,  you  know." 

I  did  not  then  understand  what  had  come  over  Rupert,  though 
it  is  all  plain  enough  to  me  now.  He  had,  truly  enough,  got 
into  what  was  then  called  the  English  set.  Now,  there  is  no 
question,  that,  so  far  as  the  natives,  themselves,  were  concerned, 
this  was  as  good  a  set  as  ever  existed  in  this  country ;  and -it  is 
also  beyond  all  cavil,  that,  many  respectable  English  persons, 
of  both  sexes,  were  occasionally  found  in  it ;  but,  it  had  this 
great  defect : — every  Englishman  who  wore  a  good  coat,  and 
had  any  of  the  slang  of  society,  made  his  way  into  the  outskirts, 
at  least,  of  this  set ;  and  Rupert,  whose  own  position  was  not 
yet  thoroughly  confirmed,  had  fallen  a  great  deal  into  the  asso 
ciation  of  these  accidental  comers  and  goers.  They  talked  large, 
drank  deep,  and  had  a  lofty  disdain  for  every  thing  in  the 
country,  though  it  was  very  certain  they  were  just  then  in  much 
better  company  where  they  were,  than  they  had  ever  been  at 
home.  Like  most  tyros,  Rupert  fancied  these  blustering  gen 
try  persons  to  imitate ;  and,  as  they  seldom  conversed  ten 
minutes  without  having  something  to  say  of  my  Lord  A —  or 
Sir  John  B — ,  persons  they  had  read  of,  or  seen  in  the  streets, 
he  was  weak  enough  to  imagine  they  knew  all  about  the  digni- 


384  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

taries  of  the  British  empire.  As  Rupert  was  really  a  gentleman, 
and  had  good  manners  naturally,  it  was  a  grievous  thing  to  see 
him  fashioning  himself  anew,  as  it  might  be,  on  such  very  ques 
tionable  models. 

"  Clawbonny  is  not  a  stylish  place,  I  am  ready  to  allow,"  I 
answered,  after  a  moment  of  hesitation ;  "  still,  it  is  respectable. 
There  is  a  good  farm,  a  valuable  mill,  and  a  good,  old,  comfort 
able,  straggling,  stone  house." 

"  Very  true,  Miles,  my  dear  fellow,  and  all  as  dear  to  me,  you 
know,  as  the  apple  of  my  eye — \>uifarmish — young  ladies  like 
the  good  things  that  come  from  farms,  but  do  not  admire 
the  homeliness  of  the  residence.  I  speak  of  young  English 
ladies,  in  particular.  Now,  you  see,  Major  Merton  is  a  field- 
officer,  and  that  is  having  good  rank  in  a  respectable  profession, 
you  know — I  suppose  you  understand,  Miles,  that  the  king  puts 
most  of  his  sons  into  the  army,  or  navy — all  this  makes  a  differ 
ence,  you  understand  ?" 

"  I  understand  nothing  about  it ;  what  is  it  to  me  where  the 
King  of  England  puts  his  sons  ?" 

"  I  wish,  my  dear  Miles,  if  the  truth  must  be  said,  that  you 
and  I  had  been  a  little  less  boyish,  when  we  were  boys,  than 
happened  to  be  the  case.  It  would -have  been  all  the  better  for 
us  both." 

"  Well,  I  wish  no  such  thing.  A  boy  should  be  a  boy,  and  a 
man  a  man.  I  am  content  to  have  been  a  boy,  while  I  was  a 
boy.  It  is  a  fault  in  this  country,  that  boys  fancy  themselves 
men  too  soon." 

"  Ah !  my  dear  fellow,  you  will  not,  or  do  not  understand  me. 
What  I  mean  is,  that  we  were  both  precipitate  in  the  choice  of 
a  profession — I  retired  in  time,  but  you  persevere ;  that  is  all." 

"  You  did  retire  in  season,  my  lad,  if  truth  is  what  you  are 
after ;  for  had  you  staid  a  hundred  years  on  board  ship,  you 
never  would  have  made  a  sailor." 

When  I  said  this  I  fancied  I  had  uttered  a  pretty  severe  thing 
Rupert  took  it  so  coolly,  however,  as  to  satisfy  me  at  once  that 
he  thought  differently  on  the  subject. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  385 

"  Clearly,  it  is  not  my  vocation.  Nature  intended  me  for 
something  better,  I  trust,  and  I  mistook  a  boyish  inclination  for 
a  taste..  A  little  experience  taught  me  better,  and  I  am  now 
where  I  feel  I  ought  to  be.  I  wish,  Miles,  you  had  come  t?  the 
study  of  the.  law,  at  the  time  you  went  to  sea.  You  would  have 
been,  by  this  time,  at  the  bar,  and  would  have  had  a  definite 
position  in  society." 

"  I  am  very  glad  I  did  not.  What  the  deuce  should  I  have 
done  as  a  lawyer — or  what  advantage  would  it  have  been  to  me 
to  be  admitted  to  the  bar  ?" 

"  Advantage  !  Why,  my  dear  fellow,  every  advantage  in  the 
world.  You  know  how  it  is  in  this  country,  I  suppose,  in  the 
way  of  society,  my  dear  Miles  ?" 

"  Not  I — and,  by  the  little  I  glean  from  the  manner  you  sheer 
about  in  your  discourse,  I  wish  to  know  nothing.  Do  young 
men  study  law  merely  to  be  genteel  ?" 

"  Do  not  despise  knowledge,  my  boy  ;  it  is  of  use,  even  in 
trifles.  Now  in  this  country,  you  know,  we  have  very  few  men 
of  mere  leisure — heirs  of  estates  to  live  on  their  incomes,  as  is 
done  in  Europe;  but  nine  tenths  of  us  must  follow  professions, 
of  which  there  are  only  half  a  dozen  suitable  for  a  gentleman. 
The  army  and  navy  are  nothing,  you  know ;  two  or  three  regi 
ments  scattered  about  in  the  woods,  and  half  a  dozen  vessels. 
After  these  there  remain  the  three  learned  professions,  divinity, 
law,  and  physic.  In  our  family  divinity  has  run  out,  I  fear. 
As  for  physic,  'throw  physic  to  the  dogs,'  as  Miss  Merton 
•says" — 

"Who?"  I  exclaimed,  in  surprise.  '"Throw  physic  to  the 
dogs' — why  that  is  Shakspeare,  man  !" 

"  I  know  it,  and  it  is  Miss  Emily  Merton' s,  too.  You  have 
made  us  acquainted  with  a  charming  creature,  at  least,  Miles, 
by  this  going  to  sea.  Her  notions  on  such  subjects  are  as  accu 
rate  as  a  sun-dial." 

"  And  has  Miss  Emily  Merton  ever  conversed  with  you  on 
the  subject  of  my  profession,  Rupert?" 

"  Indeed  she  has,  and  regretted  it,  again  and  again.      You 
17 


386  AFLOAT     AND     AS  II  ORE. 

know  as  well  as  I  do,  Miles,  to  be  a  sailor,  other  than  in  a 
navy,  is  not  a  genteel  profession  !" 

I  broke  out  into  a  fit  of  laughter  at  this  remark.  It  struck 
me  as  infinitely  droll,  and  as  somewhat  silly.  I  knew  my  pre 
cise  position  in  society,  perfectly ;  had  none  of  the  silly  swag 
gering  about  personal  merit,  and  of  "  one  man's  being  as  good 
as  another,"  that  has  since  got  into  such  general  use  among  us ; 
and  understood  perfectly  the  useful  and  unavoidable  classifica 
tions  that  take  place  in  all  civilized  communities,  and  which, 
while  they  are  attended  by  certain  disadvantages  as  exceptions, 
produce  great  benefits  as  a  whole,  and  was  not  disposed  at  all 
to  exaggerate  my  claims  or  to  deny  my  deficiencies.  But  the 
idea  of  attaching  any  considerations  of  gentility  to  my  noble, 
manly,  daring  profession,  sounded  so  absurd  I  could  not  avoid 
laughing.  In  a  few  moments,  however,  I  became  grave. 

" Harkee,  Rupert,"  said  I ;  "I  trust  Miss  Merton  does  not 
think  I  endeavored  to  mislead  her  as  to  my  true  position,  or  to 
make  her  think  I  was  a  greater  personage  than  I  truly  am  ?" 

"  I'll  not  answer  for  that.  When  we  were  first  acquainted,  I 
found  she  had  certain  notions  about  Clawbonny,  and  your  estate, 
and  all  that,  which  were  rather  English,  you  know.  Now  in 
England,  an  estate  gives  a  man  a  certain  consideration,  Avhcreas 
land  is  so  plenty  with  us,  that  we  think  nothing  of  the  man  who 
happens  to  own  a  little  of  it.  Stock,  in  America,  as  it  is  so  much 
nearer  ready  money,  is  a  better  thing  than  land,  you  know." 

How  true  was  this,  even  ten  years  since ;  how  false  is  it  to 
day!  The  proprietor  of  tens  of  thousands  of  acres  was,  indeed," 
under  the  paper-money  regime,  a  less  important  man  than  the 
owner  of  a  handful  of  scrip,  which  has  had  all  its  value  squeezed 
out  of  it,  little  by  little.  That  was  truly  the  age  when  the  repre 
sentative  of  property  was  of  far  more  importance  than  the  prop 
erty  itself;  and  all  because  the  country  existed  in  a  fever  that 
set  every  thing  in  motion.  We  shall  see  just  such  times  again, 
I  fear. 

"  But  what  had  Emily  Merton  to  do  with  all  this  ?" 

"  Miss  Merton  ?     Oh  !  she  is  English,  you  know,  and  felt  as 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  38  / 

English  persons  always  do,  at  the  sound  of  acres.  I  set  it  all 
right,  however,  and  you  need  be  under  no  concern." 

"  The  devil  you  did  !  And,  pray,  in  what  manner  was  this 
done  ?  How  was  the  matter  set  right  ?" 

Rupert  took  the  cigar  from  his  mouth,  suffered  the  smoke  to 
issue,  by  a  small,  deliberate  jet,  cocking  his  nose  up  at  the  same 
time  as  if  observing  the  stars,  and  then  deigned  to  give  me  an 
answer.  Your  smokers  have  such  a  disdainful,  ultra-philosophi 
cal  manner,  sometimes  ! 

"  Why,  just  in  this  way,  my  fine  fellow.  I  told  her  Claw- 
bonny  was  a.  farm,  and* not  an  estate,  you  know;  that  did  a 
good  deal,  of  itself.  Then,  I  entered  into  an  explanation  of  the 
consideration  of  farmers  in  this  country,  you  know,  and  made  it 
all  as  plain  as  A  B  C.  She  is  a  quick  girl,  is  Emily,  and  takes 
a  thing  remarkably  soon." 

"  Did  Miss  Merton  say  any  thing  to  induce  you  to  suppose 
she  thought  the  less  of  me,  for  these  explanations." 

"  Of  course  not — she  values  you,  amazingly — quite  worships 
you,  as  a  sailor — thinks  you  a  sort  of  merchant  captain  Nelson, 
or  Blake,  or  Truxtun,  and  all  that  sort  of  thing.  All  young 
ladies,  however,  are  exceedingly  particular  about  professions,  I 
suppose  you  know,  Miles,  as  well  as  I  do  myself." 

"  What,  Lucy,  Rupert  ?  Do  you  imagine  Lucy  cares  a  straw 
about  my  not  being  a  lawyer,  for  instance  ?" 

"  Do  I  ?  Out  of  all  question.  Don't  you  remember  how  the 
girls  wept — Grace  as  well  as  Lucy — when  we  went  to  sea,  boy. 
It  was  all  on  account  of  the  wngentility  of  the  profession,  if  a 
fellow  can  use  such  a  word." 

I  did  not  believe  this,  for  I  knew  Grace  better,  to  say  the 
least ;  and  thought  I  understood  Lucy  sufficiently,  at  that  time, 
(o  know  she  wept  because  she  was  sorry  to  see  me  go  away. 
Still,  Lucy  had  grown  from  a  very  young  girl,  since  I  sailed  in 
the  Crisis,  into  a  young  woman,  and  might  view  things  differcnt- 
Iv,  now,  from  what  she  had  done  three  years  before.  I  had  not 
time,  however,  for  further  discussion  at  that  moment,  and  I  cut 
,lie  matter  short. 


388  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

"Well,  Rupert,  what  am  I  to  expect?"  I  asked;  "Claw- 
bonny,  or  no  Clawbonny  ?" 

"  Why,  now  you  say  the  Mertons  are  to  be  of  the  party,  I 
suppose  I  shall  have  to  go ;  it  would  be  inhospitable  else.  I 
do  wish,  Miles,  you  would  manage  to  establish  visiting  relations 
with  some  of  the  families  on  the  other  side  of  the  river.  There 
are  plenty  of  respectable  people  within  a  few  hours'  sail  of 
Clawbonny." 

"  My  father,  and  my  grandfather,  and  my  great-grandfather, 
managed,  as  you  call  it,  to  get  along,  for  the  last  hundred  years, 
well  enough  on  the  west  side;  and,  altnough  we  are  not  quite 
as  genteel  as  the  east,  we  will  do  well  enough.  The  Walliug- 
ford  sails  early  in  the  morning,  to  save  the  tide ;  and  I  hope 
your  lordship  will  turn  out  in  season,  and  not  keep  us  wait 
ing.  If  you  do,  I  shall  be  ungenteel  enough  to  leave  you 
behind." 

I  left  Rupert  with  a  feeling  in  which  disgust  and  anger  were 
blended.  I  wish  to  be  understood,  more  particularly  as  I  know 
I  am  writing  for  a  stiff-necked  generation.  I  never  was  guilty 
of  the  weakness  of  decrying  a  thing  because  I  did  not  happen 
to  possess  it  myself.  I  knew  my  own  place  in  the  social  scale 
perfectly  ;  nor  was  I,  as  I  have  just  said,  in  the  least  inclined  to 
fancy  that  one  man  was  as  good  as  another.  I  knew  very  well 
that  this  was  not  true,  either  in  nature  or  in  the  social  relations; 
in  political  axioms,  any  more  than  in  political  truths.  At  the 
same  time,  I  did  not  believe  nature  had  created  men  unequal, 
in  the  order  of  primogeniture  from  male  to  male.  Keeping  in 
view  all  the  facts,  I  was  perfectly  disposed  to  admit  that  habits, 
education,  association,  and  sometimes  chance  and  caprice,  drew 
distinctions  that  produced  great  benefits,  as  a  whole;  in  some 
small  degree  qualified,  perhaps,  by  cases  of  individual  injustice. 
This  last  exception,  however,  being  applicable  to  all  things 
human,  it  had  no  influence  on  my  opinions,  which  were  sound 
and  healthful  on  all  these  points;  practical,  common-sense  like, 
and  in  conformity  with  the  decisions  of  the  world  from  the  time 
of  Moses,  down  to  our  own,  or,  I  dare  say,  of  Adam  himself,  if 


AFLOAT     AND     ASHORE.  389 

Llie  truth  could  be  known  ;  and,  as  I  have  said  more  than  once 
in  these  rambling  memoirs,  I  was  not  disposed  to  take  a  false 
view  of  my  own  social  position.  I  belonged,  at  most,  to  tht 
class  of  small  proprietors,  as  they  existed  in  the  last  century, 
and  filled  a  very  useful  and  respectable  niche  between  the  yeo 
man  and  gentleman,  considering  the  last  strictly  in  reference  to 
the  upper  class  of  that  day.  Now,  it  struck  me  that  Emily 
Mcrton,  with  her  English  notions,  might  very  well  draw  the 
distinctions  Rupert  had  mentioned  ;  nor  am  I  conscious  of  hav 
ing  cared  much  about  it,  though  she  did.  If  I  were  a  less  im 
portant  person  on  terra  firma,  with  all  the  usages  and  notions 
of  ordinary  society  producing  their  influence,  than  I  had  been 
when  in  command  of  the  Crisis,  in  the  centre  of  the  Pacific,  so 
was  Miss  Merton  a  less  important  young  lady,  in  the  midst  of 
the  beauty  of  New  York,  than  she  had  been  in  the  isolation  of 
Marble  Land.  This  I  could  feel  very  distinctly.  But  Lucy's 
supposed  defection  did  more  than  annoy  me.  I  felt  humbled, 
mortified,  grieved.  I  had  always  known  that  Lucy  was  better 
connected  than  I  was  myself,  and  I  had  ever  given  Rupert  and 
her  the  benefit  of  this  advantage,  as  some  offset  to  my  own  and 
Grace's  larger  means ;  but  it  had  never  struck  me  that  either 
the  brother  or  sister  would  be  disposed  to  look  down  upon  us 
in  consequence.  The  world  is  everywhere — and  America,  on 
account  of  its  social  vicissitudes,  more  than  most  other  coun 
tries — constantly  exhibiting  pictures  of  the  struggles  between 
fallen  consequence  and  rising  wealth.  The  last  may,  and  does 
have  the  best  of  it,  in  the  mere  physical  part  of  the  strife ;  but 
in  the  more  moral,  if  such  a  word  can  be  used,  the  quiet  ascend 
ency  of  better  manners  and  ancient  recollections  is  very  apt  to 
overshadow  the  fussy  pretensions  of  the  vulgar  aspirant,  who 
places  his  claims  altogether  on  the  all-mighty  dollar.  It  is  vain 
to  deny  it ;  men  ever  have  done  it,  and  probably  ever  will  defer 
to  the  past,  in  matters  of  this  sort — it  being  much  with  us,  in 
this  particular,  as  it  is  with  our  own  lives,  which  have  had  all 
their  greatest  enjoyments  in  bygone  days.  I  knew  all  this — 
felt  all  this — and  was  greatly  afraid  that  Lucy,  through 


390  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

Bradfort's  influence,  and  her  town  associations,  might  have 
learned  to  regard  me  as  Captain  Wallingford  of  the  merchant- 
service,  and  the  son  of  another  Captain  Wallingford  of  the  same 
line  in  life.  I  determined,  therefore,  to  watch  her  with  jealous 
attention,  during  the  few  days  I  was  to  remain  at  Clawbonny. 
With  such  generous  intentions,  the  reader  is  not  to  be  surprised 
if  I  found  some  of  that  for  which  I  so  earnestly  sought — people 
being  very  apt  to  find  precisely  the  thing  for  which  they  look, 
when  it  is  not  lost  money. 

The  next  morning  we  were  all  punctual,  and  sailed  at  the 
proper  hour.  The  Mertons  seemed  pleased  with  the  river,  and, 
having  a  fresh  southerly  wind  in  our  favor,  with  a  strong  flood- 
tide,  we  actually  landed  at  the  mill  the  same  afternoon.  Every 
thing  is  apt  to  be  agreeable  when  the  traveller  gets  on  famous 
ly  :  and  I  thought  I  never  saw  Emily  in  better  spirits  than  she 
was  when  we  first  reached  the  top  of  the  ascent  that  lies  above 
the  landing.  I  had  given  her  my  arm,  as  due  to  hospitality, 
while  the  others  got  up  as  they  could ;  for  I  observed  that  Ru 
pert  assisted  no  one.  As  for  Lucy,  I  was  still  too  much  vexed 
with  her,  and  had  been  so  all  day,  to  be  as  civil  as  I  ought.  We 
were  soon  at  a  point  that  commanded  a  view  of  the  house, 
meadows,  orchards,  and  fields. 

"  This,  then,  is  Clawbonny !"  exclaimed  Emily,  as  soon  as  I 
pointed  out  the  place  to  her.  "  Upon  my  word,  a  very  pretty 
farm,  Captain  Wallingford.  Even  prettier  than  you  represented 
it  to  be,  Mr.  Rupert  Hardinge." 

"Oh!  I  always  do  justice  to  everything  of  Wallingford' s, 
you  know.  We  were  children  together,  and  became  so  much 
attached  in  early  life,  that  it's  no  wonder  we  remain  so  in  these 
our  later  days." 

Rupert  was  probably  nearer  the  truth  than  he  imagined, 
when  he  made  this  speech ;  my  regard  for  him,  by  this  time, 
being  pretty  much  reduced  to  habit ;  and  certainly  it  had  no 
increase  from  any  fresh  supplies  of  respect.  I  began  to  hope  he 
might  not  marry  Grace,  though  I  had  formerly  looked  forward 
to  the  connection  as  a  settled  thing.  "  Let  him  get  Miss  Mer- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  391 

ton,  if  he  can,"  I  said  to  myself;  "  it  will  be  no  great  acquisi 
tion,  I  fancy,  to  either  side." 

How  different  was  it  with  his  father,  and,  I  may  add,  with 
Lucy !  The  old  gentleman  turned  to  me,  with  tears  in  his 
eyes ;  pointed  to  the  dear  old  house,  with  a  look  of  delight ; 
nnd  then  took  my  arm,  without  reference  to  the  wants  of  Miss 
Mcrton,  and  led  me  on,  conversing  earnestly  of  my  affairs,  and 
of  his  own  stewardship.  Lucy  had  her  father's  arm,  on  the 
other  side  ;  and  the  good  divine  was  too  much  accustomed  to 
her,  to  mind  the  presence  of  his  daughter.  Away  we  three 
went,  therefore,  leading  the  way,  while  Rupert  took  charge 
of  Emily  and  Grace.  Major  Merton  followed,  leaning  on  his 
own  man. 

"  It  is  a  lovely — it  is  a  lovely  spot,  Miles,"  said  Mr.  Har- 
dinge  ;  "  and  I  do  most  sincerely  hope  you  will  never  think  of 
tearing  down  that  respectable-looking,  comfortable,  substantial, 
good  old-fashioned  house,  to  build  a  new  one." 

"  Why  should  I,  dear  sir  ?  The  house,  with  an  occasional 
addition,  all  built  in  the  same  style,  has  served  us  a  century,  and 
may  very  well  serve  another.  Why  should  I  wish  for  more,  or 
a  better  house  ?" 

"  Why,  sure  enough  ?  But,  now  you  are  a  sort  of  a  mer 
chant,  you  may  grow  rich,  and  wish  to  be  the  proprietor  of  a 
seat." 

The  time  had  been,  when  such  thoughts  often  crossed  my 
mind ;  but  I  cared  less  for  them,  then.  To  own  a  seat,  was  the 
great  object  of  my  ambition  in  boyhood ;  but  the  thought  had 
weakened  by  time  and  reflection. 

"  What  does  Lucy  think  of  the  matter  ?  Do  I  want,  or  in 
deed  deserve,  a  better  house  ?" 

"  I  shall  not  answer  either  question,"  replied  the  dear  girl,  a 
little  saucily,  I  thought.  "  I  do  not  understand  your  wants, 
and  do  not  choose  to  speak  of  your  deservings.  But  I  fancy 
the  question  will  be  settled  by  a  certain  Mrs.  Wallingford,  one 
of  these  days.  Clever  women  generally  determine  these  things 
for  their  husbands." 


392  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

I  endeavored  to  catch  Lucy's  eye,  when  this  was  said,  by 
leaning  a  little  forward  myself;  but  the  girl  turned  her  head 
in  such  a  manner  as  prevented  my  seeing  her  face.  The  remark 
was  not  lost  on  Mr.  Ilardinge,  however,  who  took  it  np  with 
warmth,  and  all  the  interest  of  a  most  pure  and  disinterested 
affection. 

"  I  suppose  you  will  think  of  marrying,  one  of  these  days, 
Miles,"  he  said ;  "  but,  on  no  account,  marry  a  woman  who  will 
desert  Clawbonny,  or  who  would  wish  materially  to  alter  it. 
No  good-hearted  woman,  indeed — no  <r«e-heartcd  woman — 
would  ever  dream  of  cither.  Dear  me  !  dear  me  !  the  happy 
days  and  the  sorrowful  days — the  gracious  mercies  of  Provi 
dence,  and  the  chastening  afflictions — that  I  myself  have  seen, 
and  felt,  and  witnessed,  under  these  same  roofs !" 

This  was  followed  by  a  sort  of  enumeration  of  the  events  of 
the  last  forty  years,  including  passages  in  the  lives  of  all  who 
had  dwelt  at  the  farm;  the  whole  concluding  with  the  divine's 
solemnly  repeating — "  No,  no !  Miles  !  do  not  think,  even,  of 
marrying  a  woman  who  would  wish  yon  to  desert,  or  materially 
alter,  Clawbonnv." 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  393 


CHAPTER 

"  If  thou  be'st  rated  by  thy  estimation, 
Thou  dost  deserve  enough ;  and  yet  enough 
May  not  extend  so  far  as  to  the  lady." 

MERCHANT  or  VENICB. 

NEXT  morning,  I  was  early  afoot,  and  I  found  Grace  as  much 
alive  to  the  charms  of  home,  as  I  was  myself.  She  put  on  a 
gypsy,  and  accompanied  me  into  the  garden,  where,  to  my  sur 
prise,  I  found  Lucy.  It  looked  like  old  times  to  be  in  that 
spot,  again,  with  those  two  dear  girls.  Rupert  alone  was  want 
ing  to  complete  the  picture ;  but,  I  had  an  intimate  conviction 
that  Rupert,  as  he  had  been  at  least,  could  never  come  within 
the  setting  of  the  family  group  again.  I  was  rejoiced,  how 
ever;  to  see  Lucy,  and  more  so,  just  where  I  found  her,  and  I 
believe  told  her  as  much  with  my  eyes.  The  charming  girl 
looked  happier  than  she  had  appeared  the  day  before,  or  for 
many  previous  days  indeed,  and  I  felt  less  apprehension  than 
of  late,  concerning  her  having  met  with  any  agreeable  youth 
of  a  more  genteel  profession  than  that  of  a  merchant-captain. 

"  I  did  not  expect  to  find  you  here,  Miss  Lucy,"  cried  Grace, 
"  eating  half-ripe  currants,  too,  or  my  eyes  deceive  me,  at  this 
early  hour  in  the  morning.  It  is  not  twenty  minutes  since  you 
were  in  your  own  room,  quite  unadorned." 

"  The  green  fruit  of  dear  Clawbonny  is  better  than  the  ripe 
fruit  of  those  vile  New  York  markets !"  exclaimed  Lucy,  with  a 
fervor  so  natural  as  to  forbid  any  suspicion  of  acting.  "  I 
should  prefer  a  Clawbonny  potato,  to  a  New  York  peach !" 

Grace  smiled,  and  as  soon  as  Lucy's  animation  had  a  little 
subsided  she  blushed. 

"How  much  better  would  it  be,  Miles,"  my  sister  resumed, 
17* 


394  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

"  could  yon  be  induced  to  think  and  foci  with  ns,  and  quit  the 
seas,  to  come  and  live  for  the  rest  of  your  days  on  the  spot 
where  your  fathers  have  so  long  lived  before  you.  Would  it 
not,  Lucy?" 

"  Miles  will  never  do  that,"  Lucy  answered,  with  emphasis. 
"  Men  are  not  like  us  females,  who  love  every  thing  we  love  at 
all  with  our  whole  hearts.  Men  prefer  wandering  about,  and 
being  shipwrecked,  and  left  on  desert  islands,  to  remaining 
quietly  at  home  on  their  own  farms.  No,  no,  you'll  never  pcr- 
euadc  Miles  to  do  that." 

"  I  am  not  astonished  my  brother  thinks  desert  islands  such 
pleasant  abodes,  when  he  can  find  companions  like  Miss  Morton 
on  them." 

"  You  will  remember,  sister  of  mine,  in  the  first  place,  that 
Marble  Land  is  very  far  from  being  a  desert  island  at  all ;  and 
in  the  next,  that  I  found  Miss  Morton  in  Hyde  Park,  London, 
almost  in  the  canal,  for  that  matter." 

"  I  think  it  a  little  odd  that  Miles  never  told  us  all  about  this 
in  his  letters  at  the  time,  Lucy.  When  young  gentlemen  drag 
young  ladies  out  of  canals,  their  friends  at  home  have  a  right  to 
know  something  of  the  matter." 

How  much  unnecessary  misery  is  inflicted  by  unmeaning  ex 
pressions  like  this.  Grace  spoke  lightly,  and  probably  without  a 
second  thought  about  the  matter;  but  the  little  she  said  not 
only  made  me  thoughtful  and  uneasy,  but  it  drove  every  thing 
like  a  smile  from  the  usually  radiant  countenance  of  her  friend. 
The  conversation  dragged,  and  soon  after  we  returned  together 
to  the  house. 

I  was  much  occupied  that  morning  in  riding  about  the  place 
with  Mr.  Hardinge,  and  in  listening  to  his  account  of  his  stew 
ardship.  With  the  main  results  I  was  already  acquainted,  nay, 
possessed  them  in  the  Dawn,  but  the  details  had  all  to  be  gone 
over  with  the  most  minute  accuracy.  A  more  simple-minded 
being  there  was  not  on  earth  than  Mr.  Ilardingc ;  and  that  my 
affairs -turned  out  so  well  was  the  result  of  the  prosperous  condi 
tion  of  the  country  at  that  clay,  the  system  my  father  had  adopt- 


AFLOAT      AXD      ASHORE.  395 

eel  in  his  lifetime,  and  the  good  qualities  of  the  different  agents 
lie  had  chosen — every  one  of  whom  remained  in  the  situation  in 
which  he  was  at  the  sad  moment  of  the  fatal  accident  at  the 
mill.  Had  matters  really  depended  on  the  knowledge  and  man 
agement  of  the  most  excellent  divine,  they  would  soon  have 
been  at  sixes  and  sevens. 

"  I  am  no  believer  in  miracles,  my  dear  Miles,"  observed  my 
guardian,  with  amusing  self-complacency;  "but  I  do  think  a 
change  has  been  wrought  in  me,  to  meet  the  emergencies  of  a 
situation,  in  which  the  interests  of  two  orphans  have  been  so 
suddenly  intrusted  to  my  guidance  and  care.  God  be  thanked ! 
every  thing  prospers ;  your  affairs,  as  well  as  those  of  my  dear 
Grace.  It  is  wonderful,  boy,  how  a  man  of  my  habits  has  been 
directed  in  his  purchases  of  wheat,  for  instance ;  I,  who  never 
bought  a  bushel  until  the  whole  responsibility  of  your  mills  fell 
upon  my  shoulders.  I  take  no  credit  to  myself  for  it — no  credit 
to  myself!" 

"  I  hope  the  miller  has  not  been  backward,  my  dear  sir,  in 
giving  you  all  the  assistance  in  his  power." 

"  Morgan  ?  yes,  he  is  always  ready ;  and  yon  know  I  never 
forget  to  send  him  into  the  market  to  both  buy  and  sell.  Really 
his  advice  has  been  so  excellent,  that  to  me  it  has  the  appearance 
of  being  almost  miraculous — prophetic,  I  should  say,  were  it 
not  improper.  We  should  avoid  all  exaggeration  in  our  grati 
tude,  boy." 

"  Very  truly,  sir.  And  in  what  manner  have  you  managed  to 
get  along  so  well  with  the  crops  on  the  place  itself?" 

"  Favored  by  the  same  great  adviser,  Miles.  It  is  rcallv  won 
derful,  the  crops  we  have  had,  and  the  judgment  that  has  been 
so  providentially  shown  in  the  management  of  the  fields  as  well 
as  of  the  mills  !" 

"  Of  course,  sir,  old  Hiram  (Neb's  uncle)  has  always  been 
ready  to  give  you  his  aid?  Hirain  has  a  great  deal  of  judgment 
in  his  way." 

"  No  doubt,  no  doubt.  Hiram  and  I  have  done  it  all,  led  by 
a  providential  counsel.  Well,  my  boy,  you  ought  to  be  satisfied 


306  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

with  your  earthly  lot,  for  every  thing  seems  to  prosper  that  be 
longs  to  you.  Of  course  you  will  marry,  one  of  these  days,  and 
transmit  this  place  to  your  son,  as  it  has  been  received  from 
your  fathers  ?" 

"  I  keep  that  hope  in  perspective,  sir ;  or,  as  we  sailors  say, 
for  a  sheet-anchor." 

"  Your  hope  of  salvation,  boy,  is  your  sheet-anchor,  I  trust. 
Nevertheless,  we  are  not  to  be  too  hard  on  young  men,  and 
must  let  them  have  a  little  romance  in  their  compositions. 
Yes,  yes ;  I  trust  you  will  not  become  so  much  wedded  to  your 
ship,  as  not  to  think  of  taking  a  wife  one  of  these  days.  It 
will  be  a  happy  hour  to  me  when  I  can  see  another  Mrs.  Miles 
Wallingford  at  Clawbonny.  She  will  be  the  third ;  for  I  can 
remember  your  grandmother." 

"  Can  you  recommend  to  me  a  proper  person  to  fill  that  hon 
orable  station,  sir  ?"  said  I,  smiling  to  myself,  and  exceedingly 
curious  to  hear  the  answer. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  this  Miss  Merton,  boy  ?  She  is 
handsome,  and  that  pleases  young  men ;  clever,  and  that  pleases 
old  ones ;  well  educated,  and  that  will  last  when  the  beauty  is 
gone;  and,  so  far  as  I  can  judge,  amiable;  and  that  is  as  nec 
essary  to  a  wife  as  fidelity.  Marry  no  woman,  Miles,  that  is 
nut  amiable  /" 

"  May  I  ask  what  you  call  amiable,  sir?  and,  when  that  ques 
tion  is  answered,  I  may  venture  to  go  so  far  as  to  inquire  whom 
you  call  amiable  ?" 

"  Very  sensible  distinctions,  and  such  as  are  entitled  to  fair 
answers ;  at  least  the  first.  I  do  not  call  levity,  amiability ; 
nor  mere  constitutional  gayety.  Some  of  the  seemingly  most 
light-hearted  women  I  have  ever  known,  have  been  any  thing 
but  amiable.  There  must  be  an  unusual  absence  of  selfishness — 
a  person  must  live  less  for  herself,  than  others — or  rather,  must 
find  her  own  happiness  in  the  happiness  of  those  she  loves,  to 
make  a  truly  amiable  woman.  Heart  and  principle  are  at  the 
bottom  of  what  is  truly  amiable ;  though  temperament  and  dis 
position  undoubtedly  contribute.  As  for  the  whom,  your  own 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  397 

sister  Grace  is  a  truly  amiable  young  woman.     I  never  knew 
her  do  any  thing  to  hurt  another's  feelings  in  my  life." 

"  I  suppose  you  will  admit,'  sir,  I  cannot  very  well  marry 
Grace  ?" 

"  I  wish  you  could,  with  all  my  heart — yes,  with  all  my 
heart !  Were  not  you  and  Grace  brother  and  sister,  I  should 
consider  myself  well  quit  of  the  responsibility  of  my  guardian 
ship,  in  seeing  you  man  and  wife." 

"As  that  is  out  of  the  question,  I  am  not  without  hopes  you  can 
mention  another  who  will  do  just  as  well  so  far  as  I  am  concerned." 

"Well,  there  is  Miss  Merton — though  I  do  not  know  her 
well  enough  to  venture  absolutely  on  a  recommendation.  Now, 
I  told  Lucy,  no  later  than  yesterday,  while  we  were  on  the 
river,  and  as  you  were  pointing  out  to  Miss  Merton  the  foils 
in  the  Highlands,  that  I  thought  you  would  make  one  of  the 
handsomest  couples  in  the  state ;  and,  moreover,  I  told  her — 
bless  me,  how  this  corn  grows  !  The  plants  will  be  in  tassel 
in  a  few  days,  and  the  crop  must  turn  out  most  beneficent — 
truly,  truly  there  is  a  Providence  in  all  things ;  for,  at  first,  I 
was  for  putting  the  corn  on  yonder  hill-side,  and  the  potatoes 
here ;  but  old  Hiram  was  led  by  some  invisible  agency  to  insist 
on  this  field  for  the  corn,  and  the  hill-side  for  the  potatoes ;  and, 
now,  look  and  see  what  crops  are  in  promise !  Think  of  a  nig 
ger's  blundering  on  such  a  thing  !" 

In  1802,  even  well-educated  and  well-intentioned  clergymen 
had  no  scruples  in  saying  "nigger." 

"  But,  sir,  you  have  quite  forgotten  to  add  what  else  you  told 
Lucy." 

"  True,  true — it  is  very  natural  that  you  should  prefer  hear 
ing  me  talk  about  Miss  Merton,  to  hearing  me  talk  about  pota 
toes.  I'll  tell  that  to  Lucy,  too,  you  may  depend  on  it." 

"  I  sincerely  hope  you  will  do  no  such  thing,  my  dear  sir,"  I 
cried,  in  no  little  alarm. 

"  Ah  !  that  betrays  guilt — consciousness,  I  should  say  ;  for 
what  guilt  can  there  be  in  a  virtuous  love  ?  and  rely  on  it,  both 
the  girls  shall  know  all  about  it.  Lucy  and  I  often  talk  over 


398  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

your  matters,  Miles  ;  for  she  loves  you  as  well  as  your  own  sis 
ter.  Ah  !  my  fine  fellow,  you  blush  at  it,  like  a  girl  of  sixteen  ! 
But  there  is  nothing  to  be  ashamed  of,  and  there  is  no  occasion 
for  blushes." 

"  Well,  sir,  letting  my  blushes — the  blushes  of  a  shipmaster  ! 
— but  setting  aside  my  blushes,  for  mercy's  sake  what  more  did 
you  tell  Lucy  ?" 

"  What  more  ?  Why  I  told  her  how  you  had  been  on  a  des 
ert  island,  quite  alone,  as  one  might  say,  with  Miss  Merton,  and 
how  you  had  been  at  sea,  living  in  the  same  cabin,  as  it  were,  for 
nine  months;  and  it  would  be  wonderful,  wonderful  indeed,  if 
two  so  handsome  young  persons  should  not  feel  an  attachnieut  for 
each  other.  Country  might  make  some  difference,  to  be  sure" — 

"  And  station,  sir  ?  What  do  you  think  would  be  the  influ 
ence  of  the  difference  of  station,  also  ?" 

"  Station !  Bless  me,  Miles ;  what  difference  in  station  is 
there  between  you  and  Miss  Merton,  that  it  should  cause  any 
obstacle  to  your  union  ?" 

"  You  know  what  it  is,  sir.  as  well  as  T  do  myself.  She  is  the 
daughter  of  an  officer  in  the  British  army,  and  I  am  the  master 
of  a  ship.  You  will  admit,  I  presume,  Mr.  Hardinge,  that  there 
is  such  a  thing  as  a  difference  in  station  ?" 

"  Beyond  all  question.  It  is  exceedingly  useful  to  remember 
it ;  and  I  greatly  fear  the  loose  appointments  of  magistrates  and 
other  functionaries,  that  are  making  round  the  country,  will 
bring  all  our  notions  on  such  subjects  into  great  confusion.  I 
can  understand  that  one  man  is  as  good  as  another  in  rights, 
Miles;  but  I  cannot  understand  he  is  any  better,  because  he 
happens  to  be  uneducated,  ignorant,  or  a  blackguard." 

Mr.  Hardinge  was  a  sensible  man  in  all  such  distinctions, 
though  so  simple  in  connection  with  other  matters. 

"You  can  have  no  difficulty,  however,  in  understanding  that 
in  New  York,  for  instance,  I  should  not  be  considered  the  equal 
of  Major  Merton — I  mean  socially  altogether,  and  not  in  per 
sonal  merit  or  the  claims  which  years  give — and,  of  course,  not 
the  equal  of  his  daughter  ?" 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  39G 

"  Why — yes — I  know  what  you  mean,  now.  There  may  be 
some  little  inequality  in  that  sense,  perhaps ;  but  Clawbonny, 
and  the  ship,  and  the  money  at  use,  would  be  very  apt  to  strike 
a  balance." 

"  I  am  afraid  not,  sir.  I  should  have  studied  law,  sir,  had  I 
wished  to  make  myself  a  gentleman." 

"  There  are  lots  of  vulgar  fellows  getting  into  the  law,  Miles ; 
men  who  have  not  half  your  claims  to.be  considered  gentlemen. 
I  hope  you  do  not  think  I  wished  you  and  Rupert  to  study  law 
in  order  to  make  gentlemen  of  you  ?" 

"  No,  sir ;  it  was  unnecessary  to  take  that  step  as  regards 
Rupert,  who  was  fully  born  in  the  station.  Clergymen  have  a 
decided  position  all  over  the  world,  I  believe ;  and  then  you 
are  extremely  well-connected  otherwise,  Mr.  Hardinge.  Rupert 
has  no  occasion  for  such  an  assistance ;  with  me  it  was  a  little 
different." 

"  Miles,  Miles,  this  is  a  strange  fancy  to  come  over  a  young 
man  in  your  situation — and  who,  I  am  afraid,  has  been  the  sub 
ject  of  envy,  only  too  often,  to  Rupert !" 

"  If  the  truth  were  known,  Mr.  Hardinge,  I  dare  say  both 
Rupert  and  Lucy,  in  their  secret  hearts,  think  they  possess  ad 
vantages  in  the  way  of  social  station  that  do  not  belong  to 
Grace  and  myself." 

Mr.  Hardinge  looked  hurt,  and  I  was  soon  sorry  that  I  had 
made  this  speech.  Nor  would  I  have  the  reader  imagine  that 
what  I  had  said  proceeded  in  the  least  from  that  narrow,  selfish 
feeling  which,  under  the  blustering  pretension  of  equality,  pre 
sumes  to  deny  the  existence  of  a  very  potent  social  fact ;  but 
simply  from  the  sensitiveness  of  feelings  which  on  this  subject 
were  somewhat  in  danger  of  becoming  morbid,  through  the 
agency  of  the  most  powerful  passion  of  the  human  heart,  or 
that  which  has  well  been  called  the  master-passion.  Neverthe 
less,  Mr.  Hardinge  was  much  too  honest  a  man  to  deny  a  truth, 
and  much  too  sincere  to  wish  even  to  prevaricate  about  it,  how 
ever  unpleasant  it  might  be  to  acknowledge  it  in  all  its  unpleas 
ant  bearings. 


400  AFLOAT      AND       A.SHORE. 

"  I  now  understand  you,  Miles ;  and  it  would  be  idle  to  pro 
tend  that  there  is  not  some  justice  in  what  you  say,  though  I 
attach  very  little  importance  to  it,  myself.  Rupert  is  not  exactly 
what  I  could  wish  him  to  be  in  all  things,  and  possibly  he  may 
be  coxcomb  enough,  at  times,  to  fancy  he  has  this  slight  advan 
tage  over  you,  but  as  for  Lucy,  I'll  engage  she  never  thinks  of 
you  but  as  a  second  brother,  and  that  she  loves  you  exactly  as 
she  loves  Rupert." 

Mr.  Hardinge's  simplicity  was  of  proof,  and  it  was  idle  to 
think  of  making  any  impression  on  it.  I  changed  the  subject, 
therefore,  and  this  was  easily  enough  done  by  beginning  again 
to  talk  about  the  potatoes.  I  was  far  from  being  easy,  never 
theless  ;  for  I  could  not  avoid  seeing  that  the  good  divine's  rest 
lessness  might  readily  widen  the  little  breach  which  had  opened 
between  his  daughter  and  myself. 

That  day,  at  dinner,  I  discovered  that  Grace's  winter  in  town 
had  led  to  a  sensible  melioration  of  the  domestic  economy ; 
most  especially  as  related  to  the  table.  My  father  and  mother  had 
introduced  some  changes,  which  rendered  the  Clawbonny  house 
hold  affairs  a  little  different  from  those  of  most  other  of  the 
Ulster  county  families  near  our  own  class ;  but  their  innovations, 
or  improvements,  or  whatever  they  might  be  called,  were  far 
from  being  as  decided  as  those  introduced  by  their  daughter. 
Nothing,  perhaps,  sooner  denotes  the  condition  of  people,  than 
the  habits  connected  with  the  table.  If  eating  and  drinking  be 
not  done  in  a  certain  way,  and  a  way  founded  in  reason,  too,  as 
indeed  are  nearly  all  the  customs  of  polished  life,  whatever  may 
be  the  cant  of  the  ultras  of  reason — but,  if  eating  and  drinking 
be  not  done  in  a  certain  way,  your  people  of  the  world  perceive 
it  sooner  than  almost  any  thing  else.  There  is,  also,  more  of 
common  sense  and  innate  fitness,  in  the  usages  of  the  table,  so 
long  as  they  are  not  dependent  on  mere  caprice,  than  in  almost 
any  other  part  of  our  deportment ;  for  everybody  must  cat,  and 
most  persons  choose  to  eat  decently.  I  had  been  a  little  nervous 
on  the  subject  of  the  Mortons,  in  connection  with  the  Clawbonny 
table,  I  will  confess ;  and  great  was  my  delight  when  I  found 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  401 

the  breakfast  going  off  so  well.  As  for  the  major,  himself  by 
no  means  familiar  with  the  higher  classes  of  his  own  country, 
he  had  that  great  stamp  of  a  gentleman,  simplicity ;  and  he  was 
altogether  above  the  cockney  distinctions  of  eating  and  drinking ; 
those  about  cheese  and  malt  liquors,  and  such  vulgar  niceties; 
nor  was  he  a  man  to  care  about  the  silver-forkisms ;  but  he  un 
derstood  that  portion  of  the  finesse  of  the  table  which  depended 
on  reason  and  taste,  and  was  accustomed  to  observe  it.  This  I 
knew  from  near  a  twelvemonth's  intercourse,  and  I  had  feared 
we  might  turn  out  to  be  a  little  too  rustic. 

Grace  had  made  provisions  against  all  this,  with  a  tact  and 
judgment  for  which  I  could  have  worshipped  her.  I  knew  the 
viands,  the  vegetables,  and  the  wines  would  all  be  good  of  their 
kind,  for  in  these  we  seldom  failed ;  nor  did  I  distrust  the  cook 
ery,  the  ^re^^sA-descended  families  of  the  Middle  States,  of  my 
class,  understanding  that  to  perfection ;  but  I  feared  we  should 
fail  in  those  little  incidents  of  style  and  arrangement,  and  in  the 
order  of  the  service,  that  denote  a  well-regulated  table.  This 
is  just  what  Grace  had  seen  to ;  and  I  found  that  a  great  revo 
lution  had  been  quietly  effected  in  this  branch  of  our  domestic 
economy  during  my  absence ;  thanks  to  Grace's  observations 
while  at  Mrs.  Bradfort's. 

Emily  seemed  pleased  at  dinner,  and  Lucy  could  again  laugh 
and  smile.  After  the  cloth  was  removed,  the  major  and  Mr. 
Hardinge  discussed  a  bottle  of  Madeira,  and  that  too  of  a  quality 
of  which  I  had  no  reason  to  be  ashamed ;  while  we  young  peo 
ple  withdrew  together  to  a  little  piazza,  that  was  in  the  shade 
at  that  hour,  and  took  seats,  for  a  chat.  Rupert  was  permitted 
to  smoke,  on  condition  that  he  would  not  approach  within 
fifteen  feet  of  the  party.  No  sooner  was  this  little  group  thus 
arranged,  the  three  girls  in  a  crescent,  than  I  disappeared. 

"  Grace,  I  have  not  yet  spoken  to  you  of  a  necklace  of  pearls 
possessed  by  your  humble  servant,"  I  cried,  as  my  foot  again 
touched  the  piazza.  "  I  would  not  say  a  word  about  it" — 

"iret,  Lucy  and  I  heard  all  about  it,"  answered  Grace,  with 
provoking  calmness,  "  but  would  not  ask  to  see  it,  lest  you 


402  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

should  accuse  us  of  girlish  curiosity.  We  waited  your  high 
pleasure  in  the  matter." 

"  You  and  Lucy  heard  I  had  such  a  necklace !" 

"  Most  unquestionably  ;  I,  Grace  Wallingford,  and  she,  Lucy 
Hardinge.  I  hope  it  is  no  infringement  on  the  rights  of  Mr. 
Miles  Clawbonny" — so  the  girls  often  called  me,  when  they 
affected  to  think  I  was  on  my  high-ropes — "  I  hope  it  is  no  in 
fringement  on  the  rights  of  Mr.  Miles  Clawbonny  to  say  as 
much  ?" 

"And  pray  how  could  you  and  Lucy  know  any  thing  about  it?" 

"  That  is  altogether  another  question ;  perhaps  we  may  accord 
an  answer,  after  we  have  seen  the  necklace." 

"  Miss  Merton  told  us,  Miles,"  said  Lucy,  looking  at  me  with 
gentleness,  for  she  saw  I  really  wished  an  answer ;  and  what 
could  Lucy  Hardinge  ever  refuse  me,  that  was  right  in  itself, 
when  she  saw  my  feelings  were  really  interested  ? 

"  Miss  Merton  ?  Then  I  have  been  betrayed,  and  the  surprise 
I  anticipated  is  lost." 

I  was  vexed,  and  my  manner  must  have  shown  it  in  a  slight 
degree.  Emily  colored,  bit  her  lip,  and  said  nothing ;  but  Grace 
made  her  excuses  with  more  spirit  than  it  was  usual  for  her  to 
show. 

"  You  are  rightly  punished,  Master  Miles,"  she  cried ;  "  for 
you  had  no  business  to  anticipate  surprise.  They  are  vulgar 
things  at  best,  and  they  are  worse  than  that  when  they  come 
from  a  distance  of  fifteen  thousand  miles — from  a  brother  to  a 
sister.  Besides,  you  have  surprised  us  sufficiently  once,  already, 
in  connection  with  Miss  Merton." 

"  I !"  I  exclaimed. 

"  Me  !"  added  Emily. 

'•  Yes,  I  and  me ;  did  you  tell  us  one  word  about  her,  in  your 
letters  ?  and  have  you  not  now  both  surprised  and  delighted  us, 
by  making  us  acquainted  with  so  charming  a  person  ?  I  can 
pardon  such  a  surprise,  on  account  of  its  consequences ;  but 
nothing  so  vulgar  as  a  surprise  about  pearls." 

Emily  blushed  now  :   and  in  her  it  was  possible  to  tell  the 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  40c 

difference  between  a  blush  and  the  suffusion  that  arose  from  a 
different  feeling;  but  she  looked  immensely  superior  to  any 
thing  like  explanations. 

"  Captain  Wallingford"  —  how  I  disliked  that  Captain  — 
"  Captain  Wallingford  can  have  but  little  knowledge  of  young 
ladies,"  she  said,  coldly,  "  if  he  supposes  such  pearls  as  he  pos 
sesses  would  not  form  the  subject  of  their  conversation." 

I  was  coxcomb  enough  to  fancy  Emily  was  vexed  that  I  had 
neglected  to  be  more  particular  about  her  being  on  the  island, 
and  her  connection  with  the  ship.  This  might  have  been  a  mis 
take,  however. 

"  Let  us  see  the  pearls,  Miles;  and  that  will  plead  your  apolo 
gy,"  said  Lucy. 

"There,  then  —  your  charming  eyes,  young  ladies,  never 
looked  on  pearls  like  those,  before." 

Female  nature  could  not  suppress  the  exclamations  of  delight 
that  succeeded.  Even  Rupert,  who  had  a  besetting  weakness 
on  the  subject  of  all  personal  ornaments,  laid  aside  his  cigar,  and 
came  within  the  prescribed  distance,  the  better  to  admire.  It 
was  admitted  all  round,  New  York  had  nothing  to  compare 
with  them.  I  then  mentioned  that  they  had  been  fished  up  by 
myself  from  the  depths  of  the  sea. 

"  How  much  that  adds  to  their  value !"  said  Lucy,  in  a  low 
voice,  but  in  her  warm,  sincere  manner. 

"  That  was  getting  them  cheap,  was  it  not,  Miss  Wallingford?" 
inquired  Emily,  with  an  emphasis  I  disliked. 

"  Very ;  though  I  agree  with  Lucy,  it  makes  them  so  much 
the  more  valuable." 

"  If  Miss  Merton  will  forget  my  charge  of  treason,  and  con 
descend  to  put  on  the  necklace,  you  will  all  see  it  to  much 
greater  advantage  than  at  present.  If  a  fine  necklace  embel 
lishes  a  fine  woman,  the  advantage  is  quite  reciprocal.  I  have 
seen  my  pearls  once  already  on  her  neck,  and  know  the  effect." 

A  wish  of  Grace's  aided  my  application,  and  Emily  placed 
the  ornaments  around  her  throat.  The  dazzling  whiteness  of 
her  skin  gave  a  lustre  to  the  pearls  that  they  certainly  did  not 


404  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

previously  possess.     One  scarcely  knew  which  to  admire  the 
most — the  ornaments,  or  their  setting. 

O 

"  How  very,  very  beautiful  they  are  now  /"  cried  Lucy,  in 
generous  admiration.  "  Oh  !  Miss  Merton,  pearls  should  ever 
be  your  ornaments." 

"Those  pearls,  you  mean,  Lucy,"  put  in  Rupert,  who  was  al 
ways  extremely  liberal  with  other  people's  means ;  "  the  necklace 
ought  never  to  be  removed." 

"  Miss  Merton  knows  their  destination,"  I  said,  gallantly, 
"  and  the  terms  of  ownership." 

Emily  slowly  undid  the  clasp,  placed  the  string  before  her 
eyes,  and  looked  at  it  long  and  silently. 

"  And  what  is  this  destination,  Miles  ?  What  these  tenns  of 
ownership  ?"  my  sister  asked. 

"  Of  course  he  means  them  for  you,  dear,"  Lucy  remarked  in 
haste.  "  For  whom  else  can  he  intend  such  an  ornament  ?" 

"  You  are  mistaken,  Miss  Hardinge.  Grace  must  excuse  me 
for  being  a  little  selfish  this  time,  at  least.  I  do  not  intend 
those  pearls  for  Miss  Wallingford,  but  for  Mrs.  Wallingford, 
should  there  ever  be  such  a  person." 

"  Upon  my  word,  such  a  double  temptation,  my  boy,  I  won 
der  Miss  Merton  ever  had  the  fortitude  to  remove  them  from 
the  enviable  position  they  so  lately  occupied,"  cried  Rupert, 
glancing  meaningly  toward  Emily,  who  returned  the  look  with 
a  slight  smile. 

"  Of  course,  Miss  Merton  understood  that  my  remark  w.is 
ventured  in  pleasantry,"  I  said  stiffly,  "  and  not  in  presumption. 
It  was  decided,  however,  when  in  the  Pacific,  that  these  pearls 
ought  to  have  that  destination.  It  is  true,  Clawbonny  is  not  the 
Pacific,  and  one  may  be  pardoned  for  seeing  things  a  little  dif 
ferently  here,  from  what  they  appeared  there.  I  have  a  few 
more  pearls,  however,  very  inferior  in  quality,  I  confess,  to  those 
of  the  necklace ;  but,  such  as  they  arc,  I  should  esteem  it  a 
favor,  ladies,  if  you  would  consent  to  divide  them  equally  among 
you.  They  would  make  three  very  pretty  rings,  and  as  many 
breastpins." 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  405 

I  put  into  Grace's  hands  a  little  box  containing  all  the  pearls 
that  had  not  been  placed  on  the  string.  There  were  many  line 
ones  among  them,  and  some  of  very  respectable  size,  though 
most  were  of  the  sort  called  seed.  In  the  whole,  there  were 
several  hundreds. 

"  We  will  not  balk  his  generosity,"  said  Grace  smiling ;  "  so, 
Miss  Merton,  we  will  separate  the  pearls  into  three  parcels,  and 
draw  lots  for  them.  Here  are  handsome  ornaments  among 
them !" 

"  They  will  have  one  value  with  you,  at  least,  Grace,  and 
quite  likely  with  Lucy,  while  they  might  possibly  possess  an 
other  with  Miss  Merton.  I  fished  up  every  one  of  those  pearls 
with  my  own  hands." 

"  Certainly,  that  will  give  them  value  with  both  Lucy  and 
me,  dearest  Miles,  as  would  the  simple  fact  that  they  are  your 
gift — but  what  is  to  give  them  their  especial  value  with  Miss 
Merton  ?" 

"  They  may  serve  to  remind  Miss  Merton  of  some  of  her  hair 
breadth  escapes,  of  the  weeks  passed  on  the  island,  and  of 
scenes  that,  a  few  years  hence,  will  probably  possess  the  colors 
of  a  dream,  in  her  recollection." 

"  One  pearl  I  will  take,  with  this  particular  object,"  said  Emi 
ly,  with  more  feeling  than  I  had  seen  her  manifest  since  she  had 
got  back  into  the  world,  "  if  Miss  Wallingford  will  do  me  the 
favor  to  select  it." 

"  Let  it  be  enough  for  a  ring,  at  least,"  Grace  returned,  in  her 
own  sweetest  manner.  "  Half  a  dozen  of  the  finest  of  these 
pearls,  of  which  one  shall  be  on  Miles'  account,  and  five  on  mine." 

"  On  those  conditions,  let  it,  then,  be  six.  I  have  no  occa 
sion  for  pearls  to  remind  me  how  much  my  father  and  myself 
owe  to  Captain  Wallingford." 

"  Come,  Rupert,"  added  Grace,  "  you  have  a  taste  in  these 
things,  let  us  have  your  aid  in  the  selection." 

Rupert  was  by  no  means  backward  in  complying,  for  he  loved 
to  be  meddling  in  such  matters. 

"  In  the  first  place,"  he  said,  "  I  shall  at   once  direct  that  the 


406  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

number  be  increased  to  seven  ;  this  fine  one  in  the  centre,  and 
three  on  each  side,  gradually  diminishing  in  size.  We  must 
look  to  quality,  and  not  to  weight,  for  the  six  puisne  judges,  as 
we  should  call  them  in  the  courts.  The  chief  justice  will  be 
a  noble-looking  fellow,  and  the  associates  ought  to  be  of  good 
quality  to  keep  his  honor's  company." 

"  Why  do  you  not  call  your  judges,  'my  lord,'  as  we  do  in 
England,  Mr.  Hardinge  ?"  inquired  Emily,  in  her  prettiest 
manner. 

"  Why,  sure  enough !  I  wish  with  all  my  heart  we  did,  and 
then  a  man  would  have  something  worth  living  for." 

"  Rupert !"  exclaimed  Lucy,  coloring,  "  you  know  it  is  be 
cause  our  government  is  republican,  and  that  we  have  no  nobles 
among  us.  Nor  do  you  say  exactly  what  you  think ;  you 
would  not  be  '  my  lord,'  if  you  could." 

"  As  I  never  shall  be  a  '  my  lord,'  and  I  am  afraid  never  a 
'  your  honor.'  There,  Miss  Morton — there  are  numbers  two 
and  three — observe  how  beautifully  they  are  graduated  as  to 
size." 

"Well,  '  your  honor,' "  added  Grace,  who  began  to  be  a  little 
uneasy  at  the  manner  Rupert  and  Emily  exhibited  toward  each 
other — "  well,  '  your  honor,'  what  is  to  come  next  ?" 

"  Numbers  four  and  five,  of  course  ;  and  here  they  are,  Miss 
Merton,  as  accurately  diminished  as  if  done  by  hand.  A  beau 
tiful  ring  it  will  make.  I  envy  those  who  will  be  recalled  to 
mind  by  so  charming  an  object." 

"  You  will  now  be  one  of  those  yourself,  Mr.  Hardinge,"  ob 
served  Emily,  with  great  tact ;  "  for  you  arc  fully  entitled  to  it 
by  the  trouble  you  are  giving  yourself,  and  the  taste  and  judg 
ment  you  possess." 

Lucy  looked  petrified.  She  had  .so  long  accustomed  herself 
to  think  of  Grace  as  her  future  sister,  that  the  open  admiration 
expressed  in  Rupert's  countenance,  which  was  too  manifest  to 
escape  any  of  us,  first  threw  a  glimmering  of  light  on  suspicions 
of  the  most  painful  nature.  I  had  long  seen  that  Lucy  under 
stood  her  brother's  character  better  than  anv  of  us — much  bet- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  407 

ter,  indeed,  than  his  simple-minded  father  ;  and,  as  for  myself,  I 
was  prepared  to  expect  any  thing  but  consistency  and  principle 
in  his  conduct.  Dearly  as  I  prized  Lucy,  and  by  this  time  the 
slight  competition  that  Emily  Merton  had  presented  to  my 
fancy,  had  entirely  given  way  to  the  dear  creature's  hejart,  and 
nature — but,  dearly  as  I  prized  Lucy,  I  would  greatly  have  pre 
ferred  that  my  sister  should  not  marry  h<jr  brother ;  and,  so  far 
from  feeling  resentment  on  account  of  his  want  of  fidelity,  I  was 
rather  disposed  to  rejoice  at  it.  I  could  appreciate  his  want  of 
merit,  and  his  unfitness  to  be  the  husband  of  such  a  woman  as 
Grace,  even  at  my  early  age ;  but,  alas  !  I  could  not  appreciate 
the  effects  of  his  inconstancy  on  a  heart  like  that  of  my  sister. 
Could  I  have  felt  as  easy  on  the  subject  of  Mr.  Andrew  Drewett, 
and  of  my  own  precise  position  in  society,  I  should  have  cared 
very  little,  just  then,  about  Rupert  and  his  caprices. 

The  pearls  for  the  ring  were  soon  selected  by  Rupert,  and 
approved  of  by  Grace,  after  which  I  assumed  the  office  of  divid 
ing  the  remainder  myself.  I  drew  a  chair,  took  the  box  from 
Rupert,  and  set  about  the  task. 

"  I  shall  make  a  faithful  umpire,  girls,"  I  observed,  as  pearl 
after  pearl  was  laid,  first  on  one  spot,  then  on  another — "  for  I 
feel  no  preference  between  you — Grace  is  as  Lucy ;  Lucy  is  as 
Grace,  with  me." 

"  That  may  be  fortunate,  Miss  Hardinge,  since  it  indicates  no 
preference  of  a  particular  sort,  that  might  require  repressing," 
said  Emily,  smiling  significantly  at  Lucy.  "  When  gentlemen 
treat  young  ladies  as  sisters,  it  is  a  subject  of  rejoicing.  These 
sailors  need  severe  lessons,  to  keep  them  within  the  rules  of  the 
land." 

Why  this  was  said,  I  did  not  understand ;  but  Rupert  laughed 
at  it,  as  if  it  were  a  capital  thing.  To  mend  the  matter,  he 
added,  a  little  boisterously  for  him, 

"  You  see,  Miles,  you  had  better  have  taken  to  the  law — the 
ladies  cannot  appreciate  the  merits  of  you  tars." 

"  So  it  would  seem,"  I  returned,  a  little  dryly,  "  after  all  Miss 
Merton  has  experienced  and  seen  of  the  trade." 


408  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

Emily  made  no  reply,  but  she  regarded  her  pearls  with  a 
steadiness  that  showed  she  was  thinking  more  of  their  effect 
than  that  of  either  her  own  speech  or  mine.  I  continued  to 
divide  the  pearls,  and  soon  had  the  work  complete. 

"  What  am  I  to  do,  now  ?"  I  asked.  "  Will  you  draw  lots, 
girls,  or  will  you  trust  to  my  impartiality?" 

"  We  will  certainly  confide  in  the  last,"  answered  Grace. 
"  The  division  is  so  very  equitable  that  I  do  not  well  see  how 
you  can  defraud  either." 

"  That  being  the  •  case,  this  parcel  is  for  you,  Lucy ;  and, 
Grace,  that  is  yours." 

Grace  rose,  put  her  arms  affectionately  around  my  neck,  and 
gave  me  one  of  the  hundred  kisses  that  I  had  received,  first  and 
last,  for  presents  of  one  sort  and  another.  The  deep  attachment 
that  beamed  in  her  saint-like  eyes,  would  of  itself  have  repaid 
me  for  fifty  such  gifts.  At  the  moment,  I  was  almost  on  the 
point  of  throwing  her  the  necklace  in  the  bargain ;  but  some 
faint  fancies  about  Mrs.  Miles  WTallingford  prevented  me  from 
so  doing.  As  for  Lucy,  not  a  little  to  my  surprise,  she  received 
the  pearls,  muttered  a  few  unintelligible  words,  but  did  not  even 
rise  from  her  chair.  Emily  seemed  to  tire  of  this,  so  she  caught 
up  her  gypsy,  said  the  evening  was  getting  to  be  delightful,  and 
proposed  a  walk.  Rupert  and  Grace  cheerfully  acquiesced,  and 
the  three  soon  left  the  place,  Lucy  preparing  to  follow,  as  soon 
as  a  maid  could  bring  her  hat,  and  I  excusing  myself  on  the 
score  of  business  in  my  own  room. 

"  Miles,"  said  Lucy,  as  I  was  about  to  enter  the  house,  she 
herself  standing  on  the  edge  of  the  piazza  on  the  point  of  fol 
lowing  the  party,  but  holding  toward  me  the  little  paper  box  in 
which  I  had  placed  her  portion  of  the  pearls. 

"  Do  you  wish  me  to  put  them  away  for  you,  Lucy  ?" 

"  No  Miles — not  for  me — but  for  yourself — for  Grace — for 
Mrs.  Mdes  Wallirif/ford,  if  you  prefer  that." 

This  was  said  without  the  slightest  appearance  of  any  othei 
feeling  than  a  gentle  request.  I  was  surprised,  and  scarce  knew 
what  to  ma'.ie  of  it ;  at  first,  I  refused  to  take  the  box. 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  409 

"  I  hope  I  have  done  nothing  to  merit  this,  Lucy  ?"  I  said, 
half  affronted,  half  grieved. 

"  Remember,  Miles,"  the  dear  girl  answered,  "  we  are  no  lon 
ger  children,  but  have  reached  an  age  when  it  is  incumbent 
on  us  to  respect  appearances  a  little.  These  pearls  must  be 
worth  a  good  deal  of  money,  and  I  feel  certain  my  father,  when 
he  came  to  think  of  it,  would  scarce  approve  of  my  receiving 
them." 

"  And  this  from  you,  dear  Lucy  !" 

"  This  from  me,  dear  Miles,"  returned  the  precious  girl,  tears 
glistening  in  her  eyes,  though  she  endeavored  to  smile.  "  Now 
take  the  box,  and  we  will  be  just  as  good  friends  as  ever." 

"  Will  you  answer  me  one  question  as  frankly  and  as  honestly 
as  you  used  to  answer  all  my  questions  ?" 

Lucy  turned  pale,  and  she  stood  reflecting  an  instant  before 
she  spoke. 

"  I  can  answer  no  question  before  it  is  asked,"  was  at  length 
her  answer. 

"  Have  you  thought  so  little  of  my  presents  as  to  have  thrown 
away  the  locket  I  gave  you,  before  I  sailed  for  the  north-west 
coast?" 

"  No,  Miles ;  I  have  kept  the  locket,  and  shall  keep  it  as  long 
as  I  live.  It  was  a  memorial  of  our  childish  regard  for  each 
other,  and  in  that  sense  is  very  dear  to  me.  You  will  let  me 
keep  the  locket,  I  am  sure !" 

"  If  it  were  not  you,  Lucy  Hardinge,  whom  I  know  to  be 
truth  itself,  I  might  be  disposed  to  doubt  you ;  so  many  strange 
things  exist,  and  so  much  caprice,  especially  in  attachments,  is 
manifested  here,  ashore !" 

"  You  need  doubt  nothing  I  tell  you,  Miles ;  on  no  account 
would  I  deceive  you." 

"  That  I  believe — nay,  I  see  it  is  your  present  object  to  un 
deceive  me.  I  do  not  doubt  any  thing  you  tell  me,  Lucy.  I 
wish  I  could  see  that  locket,  however;  show  it  to  me,  if  you 
have  it  on  your  person." 

Lucy  made  an  eager  movement,  a*  if  about  to  produce  the 
18 


410  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

locket;  then  she  arrested  the  impetuous  indication,  while  her 
cheeks  fairly  burned  with  the  blushes  that  suffused  them. 

"  I  see  how  it  is,  Lucy  ;  the  thing  is  not  to  be  found.  It  ia 
mislaid,  the  Lord  knows  where,  and  you  do  not  like  to  avow  it." 

The  locket  at  that  moment  lay  as  near  the  blessed  creature's 
heart  as  it  could  be  placed,  and  her  confusion  proceeded  from 
the  shame  of  letting  that  fact  be  known.  This  I  could  not  see, 
and  consequently  did  not  know.  A  very  small  and  further  in 
dication  of  feeling  on  my  part  might  have  betrayed  the  circum 
stance,  but  pride  prevented  it,  and  I  took  the  still  extended  box, 
I  dare  say  in  a  somewhat  dramatic  manner.  Lucy  looked  at 
me  earnestly ;  I  saw  it  was  with  difficulty  that  she  kept  from 
bursting  into  tears. 

"  You  are  not  hurt,  Miles  ?"  she  said. 

"  I  should  not  be  frank  if  I  denied  it.  Even  Emily  Morton, 
you  saw,  consented  to  accept  enough  pearls  for  a  ring." 

"  I  did  perceive  it ;  and  yet  you  remember  she  felt  the  im 
propriety  of  receiving  such  large  gifts  from  gentlemen.  Miss 
Merton  has  gone  through,  so  much,  so  much  in  your  company, 
Miles,  that  no  wonder  she  is  willing  to  retain  some  little  memo 
rial  of  it  all,  until" — 

She  hesitated,  but  Lucy  chose  not  to  finish  the  sentence.  She 
had  been  pale,  but  her  cheeks  were  now  like  the  rose  again. 

"  When  Rupert  and  I  first  went  to  sea,  Lucy,  you  gave  me 
your  little  treasure  in  gold ;  every  farthing  you  had  on  earth,  I 
fancy." 

"  I  am  glad  I  did,  Miles ;  for  we  were  very  young  then,  and 
you  had  been  so  kind  to  me,  I  rejoice  I  had  a  little  gratitude. 
But  we  are  now  in  situations,"  she  added,  smiling  so  sweetly  as 
to  render  it  difficult  for  me  to  refrain  from  catching  her  in  my 
arms  and  folding  her  to  my  heart,  "  that  place  both  of  us  above 
the  necessity  of  receiving  aid  of  this  sort." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  this,  though  /  shall  never  part  with  the 
dear  recollection  of  the  half-joes." 

"Or  T  v, ith  that  of  the  locket.  We  will  retain  these,  then, 
as  keepsakes.  My  dear  Mrs.  Bradfort,  too,  is  very  particular 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  411 

about  Rupert  or  myself  receiving  favors  of  this  sort  from  any 
but  herself.  She  has  adopted  us  in  a  manner,  and  I  owe  to  her 
liberality  the  means  of  making  the  figure  I  do.  Apart  from 
that,  Miles,  we  arc  all  as  poor  as  \ve  have  ever  been." 

I  wished  Rupert  had  half  his  sister's  self-respect  and  pride  of 
character.  But  he  had  not ;  for  in  spite  of  his  kinswoman's 
prohibitions,  he  had  not  scrupled  to  spend  nearly  three  years  of 
the  wages  that  accrued  to  me  as  third  mate  of  the  Crisis.  For 
the  money  I  cared  not  a  stiver;  it  was  a  very  different  thing  as 
to  the  feeling. 

As  for  Lucy,  she  hastened  away,  as  soon  as  she  had  induced 
me  to  accept  the  box ;  and  I  had  no  choice  but  to  place  all  the 
pearls  together,  and  put  them  in  Grace's  room,  as  my  sister 
had  desired  me  to  do  with  her  own  property  before  proceeding 
on  her  walk. 

I  determined  I  wrould  converse  confidentially  with  Grace,  that 
very  evening,  about  the  state  of  affairs  in  general,  and,  if  possi 
ble,  learn  the  worst  concerning  Mr.  Andrew  Drewett's  preten 
sions.  Shall  I  frankly  own  the  truth  ?  I  was  sorry  that  Mrs. 
Bradfort  had  made  Lucy  so  independent ;  as  it  seemed  to  in 
crease  the  chasm  that  I  fancied  was  opening  between  us. 


412  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

"  Yonr  name  abruptly  mentioned,  casual  words 
Of  comment  on  your  deeds,  praise  from  your  uncle, 
News  from  the  armies,  talk  of  yonr  return, 
A  word  let  fall  touching  your  youthful  passion 
Suffused  her  cheek,  called  to  her  drooping  eye 
A  momentary  lustre." 

HILLHOUSK. 

I  HAD  no  difficulty  in  putting  my  project  of  a  private  inter 
view  with  Grace,  in  execution  in  my  own  house.  There  was 
one  room  at  Clawbonny,  that,  from  time  immemorial,  had  been 
appropriated  exclusively  to  the  use  of  the  heads  of  the  establish 
ment.  It  was  called  the  "  family  room,"  as  one  would  say 
"  family  pictures"  or  "  family  plate."  In  my  father's  time,  I 
could  recollect  that  I  never  dreamed  of  entering  it,  unless  asked 
or  ordered ;  and  even  then,  I  always  did  so  with  some  such 
feelings  as  I  entered  a  church.  What  gave  it  a  particular  and 
additional  sanctity  in  our  eyes,  also,  was  the  fact  that  the  Wal- 
lingford  dead  were  always  placed  in  their  coffins,  in  this  room, 
and  thence  they  were  borne  to  their  graves.  It  was  a  very  small 
triangular  room,  with  the  fire-place  in  one  corner,  and  possess 
ing  but  a  single  window,  that  opened  on  a  thicket  of  rose 
bushes,  ceringos,  and  lilacs.  There  was  also  a  light  external 
fence  around  this  shrubbery,  as  if  purposely  to  keep  listeners  at 
a  distance.  The  apartment  had  been  furnished  when  the  house 
was  built,  being  in  the  oldest  part  of  the  structures,  and  still 
retained  its  ancient  inmates.  The  chairs,  tables,  and  most  of 
the  other  articles,  had  actually  been  brought  from  England,  by 
Miles  the  First,  as  we  used  to  call  the  emigrant ;  though,  he 
was  thus  only  in  reference  to  the  Clawbonny  dynasty,  having 
been  something  like  Miles  the  Twentieth,  in  the  old  country. 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  413 

My  mother  had  introduced  a  small  settee,  or  some  such  scat  as 
the  French  would  call  a  causeuse  ;  a  most  appropriate  article,  in 
such  a  place. 

In  preparation  for  the  interview  I  had  slipped  into  Grace's 
hand  a  piece  of  paper,  on  which  was  written,  "  meet  me  in  the 
family  room,  precisely  at  six  !"  This  was  sufficient ;  at  the 
hour  named,  I  proceeded  to  the  room,  myself.  The  house  of 
Clawbonny,  iu  one  sense,  was  large  for  an  Ameiican  residence ; 
that  is  to  say,  it  covered  a  great  deal  of  ground,  every  one  of 
the  three  owners  who  preceded  me,  having  built ;  the  last  two 
leaving  entire  the  labors  of  the  first.  My  turn  had  not  yet 
come,  of  course ;  but  the  reader  knows  already  that  I,  most 
irreverently,  had  once  contemplated  abandoning  the  place,  for  a 
"  seat"  nearer  the  Hudson.  In  such  a  suite  of  constructions, 
sundry  passages  became  necessary,  and  we  had  several  more 
than  was  usual  at  Clawbonny,  besides  having  as  many  pairs  of 
stairs.  In  consequence  of  this  ample  provision  of  stairs,  the 
chambers  of  the  family  were  totally  separated  from  those  of  all 
the  rest  of  the  house. 

I  began  to  reflect  seriously,  on  what  I  had  to  say,  and  how  it 
was  to  be  said,  as  I  walked  through  the  long  passage  which  led 
to  the  "  family  room,"  or  the  "  triangle,"  as  my  own  father  had 
nicknamed  the  spot.  Grace  and  I  had  never  yet  held  what 
might  be  termed  a  family  consultation ;  I  was  too  young  to 
think  of  such  a  thing,  when  last  at  home,  and  no  former  occa 
sion  had  offered  since  my  return.  I  was  still  quite  young,  and 
had  more  diffidence  than  might  have  been  expected  in  a  sailor. 
To  me,  it  was  far  more  embarrassing  to  open  verbal  communica 
tions  of  a  delicate  nature,  than  it  would  have  been  to  work  a 
ship  in  action.  But  for  this  mauvaise  honte,  I  do  think  I  should 
have  been  explicit  with  Lucy,  and  not  have  parted  from  her  on 
the  piazza,  as  I  did,  leaving  every  thing  in-  just  as  much  doubt 
as  it  had  been  before  a  word  passed  between  us.  Then  I  enter 
tained  a  profound  respect  for  Grace ;  something  more  than  the 
tenderness  of  a  brother  for  a  sister ;  for,  mingled  with  my 
strong  affection  for  her,  was  a  deference,  a  species  of  awe  of  her 


414  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

angel-like  character  and  purity,  that  made  me  far  more  disposed 
to  receive  advice  from  her,  than  to  bestow  it.  In  the  frame  of 
mind  which  was  natural  to  all  these  blended  feelings,  I  laid  my 
hand  on  the  old-fashioned  brass  latch,  by  Avhich  the  door  of  the 
"  triangle"  was  closed.  On  entering  the  room,  I  found  my  sis 
ter  seated  on  the  "  causeuse,"  the  window  open  to  admit  air, 
the  room  looking  snug  but  cheerful,  and  its  occupant's  sweet 
countenance  expressive  of  care,  not  altogether  free  from  curi 
osity.  The  last  time  I  had  been  in  that  room,  it  was  to  look  on 
the  pallid  features  of  my  mother's  corpse,  previously  to  closing 
the  coffin.  All  the  recollections  of  that  scene  rushed  upon  our 
minds  at  the  same  instant ;  and  taking  a  place  by  the  side  of 
Grace,  I  put  an  arm  around  her  waist,  drew  her  to  me,  and,  re 
ceiving  her  head  on  my  bosom,  she  wept  like  a  child.  My  tears 
could  not  be  altogether  restrained,  and  several  minutes  passed 
in  profound  silence.  No  explanations  were  needed ;  I  knew 
what  my  sister  thought  and  felt,  and  she  was  equally  at  home  as 
respects  my  sensations.  At  length  we  regained  our  self-com 
mand,  and  Grace  lifted  her  head. 

"  You  have  not  been  in  this  room  since,  brother  ?"  she  ob 
served,  half  inquiringly. 

"  I  have  not,  sister.  It  is  now  many  years — many  for  those 
who  are  as  young  as  ourselves." 

"  Miles,  you  will  think  better  about  that  '  seat,'  and  never 
abandon  Clawbonny — never  destroy  this  blessed  room  !" 

"  I  begin  to  think  and  feel  differently  on  the  subject,  from 
what  I  once  did.  If  this  house  were  good  enough  for  our  fore 
fathers,  why  is  it  not  good  enough  for  me  ?  It  is  respectable 
and  comfortable,  and  what  more  do  I  want  ?" 

"  And  so  warm  in  winter,  and  so  cool  in  summer ;  with  good 
thick  stone  walls ;  while  every  thing  they  build  now  is  a  shin 
gle  palace  !  Besides,  you  can  add  your  portion,  and  each  addi 
tion  has  already  been  a  good  deal  modernized.  It  is  so  pleas 
ant  to  have  a  house  that  partakes  of  the  usages  of  different 
periods !" 

"I  hardly  think  I  shall  ever  abandon  Clawbonny,  my  dear; 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHOEE.  415 

for  I  find  it  growing  more  and  more  precious  as  other  ties  and 
expectations  fail  me." 

Grace  drew  herself  entirely  from  my  arms,  and  looked  intent 
ly,  and,  as  I  fancied,  anxiously  at  me,  from  the  other  corner  of 
the  settee.  Then  she  affectionately  took  one  of  my  hands,  in 
both  her  own,  and  pressed  it  gently. 

"  You  are  young  to  speak  of  such  things,  my  dear  brother," 
she  said  with  a  tone  and  air  of  sadness,  I  had  never  yet  remarked 
in  her  voice  and  manner ;  "  much  too  young  for  a  man ;  though 
I  fear  we  women  are  born  to  know  sorrow !" 

I  could  not  speak  if  I  would,  for  I  fancied  Grace  was  about 
to  make  some  communications  concerning  Rupert.  Notwith 
standing  the  strong  affection  that  existed  between  my  sister  and 
myself,  not  a  syllable  had  ever  been  uttered  by  either,  that  bore 
directly  on  our  respective  relations  with  Rupert  and  Lucy 
Hardinge.  I  had  long  been  certain  that  Rupert,  who  was  never 
backward  in  professions,  had  years  before  spoken  explicitly  to 
Grace,  and  I  made  no  doubt  they  were  engaged,  though  prob 
ably  subject  to  some  such  conditions  as  the  approval  of  his 
father  and  myself;  approvals,  that  neither  had  any  reason  for 
supposing  would  be  withheld.  Still,  Grace  had  never  intimated 
any  thing  of  the  sort,  and  my  conclusions  were  drawn  from  con 
jectures  founded  as  I  imagined  on  sufficient  observation.  On 
the  other  hand,  I  had  never  spoken  to  Grace,  of  my  love  for 
Lucy.  Until  within  the  last  month,  indeed,  when  jealousy  and 
distrust  came  to  quicken  the  sentiment,  I  was  unconscious  my 
self,  with  how  much  passion  I  did  actually  love  the  dear  girl ; 
for,  previously  to  that,  my  affection  had  seemed  so  much  a  mat 
ter  of  course,  was  united  with  so  much  that  was  fraternal,  in 
appearance  at  least,  that  I  had  never  been  induced  to  enter  into 
an  inquiry  as  to  the  nature  of  this  regard.  We  were  both, 
therefore,  touching  on  hallowed  spots  in  our  hearts,  and  each 
felt  averse  to  laying  bare  the  weakness. 

"  Oh  !  you  know  how  it  is  with  life,  Grace,"  I  answered,  with 
aTected  carelessness,  after  a  moment's  silence ;  "  now  all  sun 
shine,  and  now  all  cl  >uds — I  shall  probably  never  marry,  my 


41G  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

dear  si.--.ter,  and  you,  or  your  children,  will  inherit  Clawbonny 
then  you  can  do  as  you  please  with  the  house.  As  a  memorial 
of  myself,  however,  I  will  leave  orders  for  stone  to  be  got  out 
this  fall,  and,  next  year,  I  will  put  up  the  south  wing,  of  which 
we  have  so  much  talked,  and  add  three  or  four  rooms  in  which 
one  will  not  be  ashamed  to  see  his  friends." 

"  I  hope  your  are  ashamed  of  nothing  that  is  at  Clawbonny, 
now,  Miles — as  for  your  marrying,  my  dear  brother,  that  re 
mains  to  be  seen ;  young  men  do  not  often  know  their  own 
minds  on  such  a  subject,  at  your  age." 

This  was  said,  not  altogether  without  pleasantry,  though  there 
was  a  shade  of  sadness  in  the  countenance  of  the  beloved 
speaker,  that  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart  I  wished  were  not 
there.  I  believe  Grace  understood  my  concern,  and  that  she 
shrunk  with  virgin  sensitiveness  from  touching  further  on  the 
subject,  for  she  soon  added — 

"  Enough  of  this  desponding  talk.  Why  have  you  particu 
larly  desired  to  see  me,  here,  Miles  ?" 

"  Why  ?  Oh  !  you  know  I  am  to  sail  next  week,  and  we  have 
never  been  here  :  and,  now  we  are  both  of  an  ao-c  to  communi- 

O 

cate  our  thoughts  to  each  other,  I  supposed — that  is — there  must 
be  a  beginning  of  all  things,  and  it  is  as  well  to  commence  now 
as  any  other  time.  You  do  not  seem  more  than  half  a  sister,  in 
the  company  of  strangers  like  the  Mertons,  and  Hardinges  !" 

"  Strangers,  Miles !  How  long  have  you  regarded  the  last 
as  strangers  ?" 

"  Certainly  not  strangers  in  the  way  of  acquaintance,  but 
strangers  to  our  blood.  There  is  not  the  least  connection  be 
tween  us  and  them." 

"  No,  but  much  love ;  and  love  that  has  lasted  from  child 
hood.  I  cannot  remember  the  time  when  I  have  not  loved  Lucy 
Ilardinge." 

"  Quite  true — nor  I.  Lucy  is  an  excellent  girl,  and  one  is 
almost  certain  of  always  retaining  a  strong  regard  for  her.  How 
singularly  the  prospects  of  the  Hardinges  are  changed  by  this 
sudden  liking  of  Mrs.  Bradfort !" 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  417 

*•  It  is  not  sudden,  Miles.  You  have  been  absent  years,  and 
forget  how  much  time  there  has  been  to  become  intimate  and 
attached.  Mr.  Hardinge  and  Mrs.  JBradfort  are  sisters'  chil 
dren  ;  and  the  fortune  of  the  last,  which,  I  am  told,  exceeds  six 
thousand  a  year,  in  improving  real  estate  in  town,  besides  the 
excellent  and  valuable  house  in  which  she  lives,  came  from  their 
common  grandfather,  who  cut  off  Mrs.  Hardinge  with  a  small 
legacy,  because  she  married  a  clergyman.  Mr.  Hardinge  is  Mrs. 
Bradfort's  heir-at-law,  and  it  is  by  no  means  unnatural  that  she 
should  think  of  leaving  the  property  to  those  who,  in  one  sense, 
have  as  good  a  right  to  it  as  she  has  herself." 

"  And  is  it  supposed  she  will  leave  Rupert  her  heir  ?" 

"  I  believe  it  is — at  least — I  think — I  am  afraid — Rupert  him 
self  imagines  it ;  though  doubtless  Lucy  will  come  in  for  a  fair 
share.  The  affection  of  Mrs.  Bradfort  for  Lucy  is  very  strong — 
so  strong,  indeed,  that  she  offered,  last  winter,  openly  to  adopt 
her,  and  to  keep  her  with  her  constantly.  You  knoA  how  true 
and  warm-hearted  a  girl  Lucy  is,  and  how  easy  it  i.  to  love 
her." 

"  This  is  all  new  to  me — why  was  not  the  offer  accepte    ?" 

"  Neither  Mr.  Hardinge  nor  Lucy  would  listen  to  it.  i  was 
present  at  the  interview  in  which  it  was  discussed,  and  our  ex 
cellent  guardian  thanked  his  cousin  for  her  kind  intentions ; 
but,  in  his  simple  way,  he  declared,  as  long  as  life  was  spared 
him,  he  felt  it  a  duty  to  keep  his  girl ;  or,  at  least,  until  he 
committed  her  to  the  custody  of  a  husband,  or  death  should 
part  them.'* 

"  And  Lucy  ?" 

"  She  is  much  attached  to  Mrs.  Bradfort,  who  is  a  good 
woman  in  the  main,  though  she  has  her  weaknesses  about  the 
world,  and  society,  and  such  things.  Lucy  wept  in  her  cousin's 
arms,  but  declared  she  never  could  leave  her  father.  I  suppose 
you  do  not  expect,"  added  Grace,  smiling,  "  that  she  had  any 
thing  to  say  about  a  husband." 

"And  how  did  Mrs.  Bradfort  receive  this  joint  declaration  of 
resistance  to  her  r:l  v.  .u;-e,  backed,  as  the  last  was,  by  dollars?" 
18* 


418  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

"  Perfectly  well.  The  affair  terminated  by  Mr.  Hardinge's 
consenting  to  Lucy's  passing  each  winter  in  town,  until  she 
marry.  Rupert,  you  know,  lives  there  as  a  student  at  law,  at 
present,  and  will  become  established  there,  when  admitted  to 
the  baa-." 

"  And  I  suppose  the  knowledge  that  Lucy  is  likely  to  inherit 
some  of  the  old  Bleecker  estate,  has  not  in  the  least  diminished 
her  chance  of  finding  a  husband  to  remove  her  from  the  paternal 
custody  of  her  father?" 

"  No  husband  could  ever  make  Lucy  any  thing  but  Mr.  Ilar- 
dingc's  daughter;  but  you  are  right,  Miles,  in  supposing  that 
she  has  been  sought.  I  am  not  in  her  secrets,  for  Lucy  is  a 
girl  of  too  much  principle  to  make  a  parade  of  her  conquests, 
even  under  the  pretence  of  communicating  them  to  her  dearest 
friend — and  in  that  light,  beyond  all  question,  does  she  regard 
ine ;  but  I  feel  as  morally  certain  as  one  can  be,  without  actually 
knowing  the  facts,  that  Lucy  refused  one  gentleman,  winter  be 
fore  last,  and  three  last  winter." 

"  Was  Mr.  Andrew  Drewett  of  the  number  ?"  I  asked,  with  a 
precipitation  of  which  I  was  immediately  ashamed. 

Grace  started  a  little  at  the  vivacity  of  my  manner,  and  then 
she  smiled,  though  I  still  thought  sadly. 

"  Of  course  not,"  she  answered,  after  a  moment's  thought, 
•'  or  he  would  not  still  be  in  attendance.  Lucy  is  too  frank  to 
leave  an  admirer  in  doubt  an  instant  after  his  declaration  is 
made,  and  her  own  mind  made  up ;  and  not  one  of  all  those 
who,  I  am  persuaded,  have  offered,  has  ever  ventured  to  continue 
more  than  a  distant  acquaintance.  As  Mr.  Drewett  never  has 
been  more  assiduous  than  down  to  the  last  moment  of  our 
remaining  in  town,  it  is  impossible  he  should  have  been  rejected. 
I  suppose  you  know  Mr.  Hardinge  has  invited  him  here?" 

"  Here  ?     Andrew  Drewett  ?     And  why  is  he  coming  here  ?" 

"  I  heard  him  ask  Mr.  Ilardinge's  permission  to  visit  us  here ; 
and  }  ou  know  how  it  is  with  our  dear,  good  guardian — the 
milk  of  human  kindness  himself,  and  so  perfectly  guilt-less  that 
he  never  sees  more  than  is  said  in  such  matters,  it  was  impossi- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  419 

ble  he  could  refuse.  Besides,  he  likes  Drewett,  who,  apart  from 
some  fashionable  follies,  is  both  clever  and  respectable.  Mr. 
Drewett  has  a  sister  married  into  one  of  the  best  families  on 
the  other  side  of  the  river,  and  is  in  the  habit  of  coming  into 
the  neighborhood  every  summer ;  doubtless  he  will  cross  from 
his  sister's  house  to  Clawbonny." 

I  felt  indignant  for  just  one  minute,  and  then  reason  resumed 
its  sway.  Mr.  llardinge,  in  the  first  place,  had  the  written 
authority,  or  request,  of  my  mother  that  he  would  invite  whom 
he  pleased,  during  my  minority,  to  the  house ;  and,  on  that 
score,  I  felt  no  disapprobation.  But  it  seemed  so  much  like 
braving  my  own  passion,  to  ask  an  open  admirer  of  Lucy's  to 
my  own  house,  that  I  was  very  near  saying  something  silly. 
Luckily  I  did  not,  and  Grace  never  knew  what  I  suffered  at  this 
discovery.  Lucy  had  refused  several  offers — that  was  some 
thing  ;  and  I  was  dying  to  know  what  sort  of  offers  they  were. 
I  thought  I  might  at  least  venture  to  ask  that  question. 

"  Did  you  know  the  four  gentlemen  that  you  suppose  Lucy 
to  have  refused  ?"  said  I,  with  as  indifferent  an  air  as  I  could 
assume,  affecting  to  destroy  a  cobweb  with  my  rattan,  and  even 
carrying  my  acting  so  far  as  to  make  an  attempt  at  a  low 
whistle. 

"  Certainly ;  how  else  should  I  know  any  thing  about  it  ? 
Lucy  has  never  said  a  word  to  me  on  the  subject ;  and,  though 
Mrs.  Bradfort  and  I  have  had  our  pleasantries  on  the  subject, 
neither  of  us  is  in  Lucy's  secrets." 

"Ay,  your  pleasantries  on  the  subject!  That  I  dare  say. 
There  is  no  better  fun  to  a  woman  than  to  see  a  man  make  a 
fool  of  himself  in  this  way  ;  little  does  she  care  how  much  a 
poor  fellow  suffers !" 

Grace  turned  pale,  and  I  could  see  that  her  sweet  countenance 
became  thoughtful  and  repentant. 

"  Perhaps  there  is  truth  in  your  remark,  and  justice  in  your 
reproach,  Miles.  None  of  us  treat  this  subject  with  as  much 
seriousness  as  it  deserves,  though  I  cannot  suppose  any  woman 
can  reject  a  man  whom  she  believes  to  bo  seriously  attached  to 


420  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

her,  without  feeling  for  him.  Still,  attachments  of  this  nature 
affect  your  sex  less  than  ours,  and  I  believe  few  men  die  of  love. 
Lucy,  moreover,  never  has,  and  I  believe  never  would  encourage 
any  man  whom  she  did  not  like ;  this  principle  must  have  pre 
vented  any  of  that  intimate  connection,  without  which  the  heart 
never  can  get  much  interested.  The  passion  that  is  produced 
without  any  exchange  of  sentiment  or  feeling,  Miles,  cannot  be 
much  more  than  imagination  or  caprice." 

"  I  suppose  those  four  chaps  are  all  famously  cured  by  this 
time,  then  ?"  said  I,  pretending  again  to  whistle. 

"  I  cannot  answer  for  that ;  it  is  so  easy  to  love  Lucy,  and  to 
love  her  warmly.  I  only  know  they  visit  her  no  longer,  and 
when  they  meet  her  in  society  behave  just  as  I  think  a  reject 
ed  admirer  would  behave  when  he  has  not  lost  his  respect  for 
his  late  flame.  Mrs.  Bradfort's  fortune  and  position  may  have 
had  their  influence  on  two,  but  the  others,  I  think,  were  quite 
sincere." 

"  Mrs.  Bradfort  is  quite  in  a  high  set,  Grace,  altogether  above 
what  we  have  been  accustomed  to." 

My  sister  colored  a  little,  and  I  could  see  she  was  not  at  her 
ease.  Still,  Grace  had  too  much  self-respect,  and  too  much 
character,  ever  to  feel  an  oppressive  inferiority  where  it  did  not 
exist  in  essentials ;  and  she  had  never  been  made  to  suffer,  as 
the  more  frivolous  and  vain  often  suffer,  by  communications 
with  a  class  superior  to  their  own — especially  when  that  class, 
as  always  happens,  contains  those  who,  having  nothing  else  to 
be  proud  of.  take  care  to  make  others  feel  their  inferiority." 

"  This  is  true,  Miles,"  she  answered ;  "  or  I  might  better  say 
both  are  true.  Certainly  I  never  have  seen  as  many  well-bred 
persons  as  I  meet  in  her  circle ;  indeed  we  have  little  around  us 
at  Clawbonny  to  teach  us  any  distinctions  in  such  tastes.  Mr. 
Hardinge,  simple  as  he  is,  is  so  truly  a  gentleman,  that  he  has 
not  left  us  altogether  in  the  dark  as  to  what  was  expected  of 
us ;  and  I  fancy  the  higher  people  truly  are  in  the  world,  the 
less  the}  lay  stress  on  any  thing  but  what  is  substantial  in  these 
matters." 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  421 

"And  Lucy's  admirers — and  Lucy  herself" — 

"How,  Lucy  herself?" 

"Was  she  well  received — courted — admired?  Met  as  ar 
equal,  and  treated  as  an  equal  ?  And  you,  too  ?" 

"  Had  you  lived  more  in  the  world,  Miles,  you  would  not 
have  asked  the  question.  But  Lucy  has  been  always  received 
as  Mrs.  Bradfort's  daughter  would  have  been  received ;  and  as 
for  myself,  I  have  never  supposed  it  was  not  known  exactly  who 
I  am." 

"  Captain  Miles  Wallingford's  daughter,  and  Captain  Miles 
Wallingford's  sister,"  said  I,  with  a  little  bitterness  on  each 
emphasis. 

"  Precisely ;  and  a  girl  proud  of  her  connections  with  both," 
rejoined  Grace,  with  strong  affection. 

"  I  wish  I  knew  one  thing,  Grace ;  and  I  think  I  ought  to 
know  it,  too." 

"If  you  can  make  the  last  appear,  Miles,  you  may  rest  as 
sured  you  shall  know  it,  if  it  depend  on  me." 

"  Did  any  of  these  gentry — these  soft-handed  fellows — ever 
think  of  offering  to  you  ?" 

Grace  laughed,  and  she  colored  so  deeply — oh !  how  heavenly 
was  her  beauty,  with  that  roseate  tint  on  her  cheek ! — but  she 
colored  so  deeply  that  I  felt  satisfied  that  she,  too,  had  refused 
her  suitors.  The  thought  appeased  some  of  my  bitter  feelings, 
and  I  had  a  sort  of  semi-savage  pleasure  in  believing  that  a 
daughter  of  Clawbonny  was  not  to  be  had  for  the  asking,  by 
one  of  that  set.  The  only  answers  I  got  were  these  disclosures 
by  blushes. 

"  What  are  the  fortune  and  position  of  this  Mr.  Drewett, 
since  you  are  resolved  to  tell  me  nothing  of  your  own  affairs  ?" 

"  Both  are  good,  and  such  as  no  young  lady  can  object  to ; 
he  is  even  said  to  be  rich." 

"  Thank  God  !  He  then  is  not  seeking  Lucy  in  the  hope  of 
getting  some  of  Mrs.  Bradfort's  money  ?" 

"  Not  in  the  least.  It  is  so  easy  to  love  Lucy  for  Lucy's  sake, 
shat  even  a  fortune-huntor  would  be  in  danger  of  being  caught 


422  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

in  his  own  trap.  But  Mr.  Drewett  is  above  the  necessity  of 
practising  so  vile  a  scheme  for  making  money." 

Here,  that  the  present  generation  may  not  be  misled,  and 
imagine  fortune-hunting  has  come  in  altogether  within  the  last 
twenty  years,  I  will  add  that  it  was  not  exactly  a  trade  in  this 
country — a  regular  occupation — in  1802,  as  it  has  become  in 
1844.  There  were  such  things  then,  certainly,  as  men  or  wom 
en  who  were  ready  to  marry  anybody  who  would  make  them 
rich,  but  I  do  not  think  theirs  was  a  calling  to  which  either  sex 
served  regular  apprenticeships  as  is  practised  to-day.  Still,  the 
business  was  carried  on,  to  speak  in  the  vernacular,  and  some 
times  with  marked  success. 

"  You  have  not  told  me,  Grace,"  I  resumed,  "  whether  you 
think  Lucy  is  pleased  or  not  with  the  attentions  of  this  gentle 
man." 

My  sister  looked  at  me  intently,  for  a  moment,  as  if  to  ascer 
tain  how  far  I  could,  or  could  not,  ask  such  a  question  with 
indifference.  It  will  be  remembered  that  no  verbal  explanations 
had  ever  taken  place  between  us  on  the  subject  of  our  feelings 
toward  the  companions  of  our  childhood,  and  that  all  that  was 
known  to  either  was  obtained  purely  by  inference.  Between 
myself  and  Lucy  nothing  had  ever  passed,  indeed,  which  might 
not  have  been  honestly  referred  to  our  long  and  early  associa 
tion,  so  far  as  the  rules  of  intercourse  were  concerned,  though  I 
sometimes  fancied  I  could  recall  a  hundred  occasions,  on  which 
Lucy  had  formerly  manifested  deep  attachment  for  myself;  nor 
did  I  doubt  her  being  able  to  show  similar  proofs  by  reversing 
the  picture.  This,  however,  was,  or  I  had  thought  it  to  be, 
merely  the  language  of  the  heart ;  the  tongue  having  never 
spoken.  Of  course,  Grace  had  nothing  but  conjecture  on  this 
subject,  and,  alas  !  she  had  begun  to  see  how  possible  it  was  for 
those  who  lived  near  each  other  to  change  their  views  on  such 
subjects ;  no  wonder,  then,  if  she  fancied  it  still  easier  for  those 
who  had  been  separated  for  years. 

"  I  have  not  told  you,  Miles,"  Grace  answered,  after  a  brief 
delay,  "because  it  would  not  be  proper  to  couimuuicate  the 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  423 

secrets  of  7ny  friend  to  a  young  man,  even  to  you,  were  it  in  my 
power,  as  it  is  not,  since  Lucy  never  has  made  to  me  the  slightest 
confidential  communications  of  any  sort  or  nature,  touching  love." 

"Never!"  I  exclaimed — reading  my  fancied  doom  in  the 
startling  fact ;  for  I  conceived  it  impossible,  had  she  ever  really 
loved  me,  that  the  matter  should  not  have  come  up  in  conversa 
tion  between  two  so  closely  united.  "  Never  !  What,  no  girl 
ish — no  childish  preference — have  you  never  had  any  mutual 
preferences  to  reveal  ?" 

"  Never,"  answered  Grace,  firmly,  though  her  very  temples 
seemed  illuminated.  "  Never.  We  have  been  satisfied  with 
each  other's  affection,  and  have  had  no  occasion  to  enter  into 
any  unfcminine  and  improper  secrets,  if  any  such  existed." 

A  long,  and  I  doubt  not  a  mutually  painful  pause  succeeded. 

"  Grace,"  said  I,  at  length,  "  I  am  not  envious  of  this  probable 
accession  of  fortune  to  the  Hardinges,  but  I  think  we  should  all 
have  been  much  more  united — much  happier — without  it." 

My  sister's  color  left  her  face,  she  trembled  all  over,  and  she 
became  pale  as  death. 

"  You  may  be  right  in  some  respects,  Miles,"  she  answered, 
after  a  time.  "  And  yet  it  is  hardly  generous  to  think  so.  Why 
should  we  wish  to  see  our  oldest  friends — those  who  are  so  very 
dear  to  us,  our  excellent  guardian's  children,  less  well  off  than  we 
are  ourselves  ?  No  doubt,  no  doubt,  it  may  seem  better  to  us, 
that  Clawbonny  should,  be  the  castle  and  we  its  possessors  ;  but 
others  have  their  rights  and  interests  as  well  as  ourselves.  Give 
the  Hardinges  money,  and  they  will  enjoy  every  advantage 
known  in  this  country — more  than  money  can  possibly  give  us 
— why,  then,  ought  we  to  be  so  selfish  as  to  wish  them  deprived 
of  this  advantage  ?  Place  Lucy  where  you  will,  she  will  always 
be  Lucy ;  and,  as  for  Rupert,  so  brilliant  a  young  man  needs 
only  an  opportunity  to  rise  to  any  thing  the  country  possesses  !" 

Grace  was  so  earnest,  spoke  with  so  much  feeling,  appeared 
so  disinterested,  so  holy  I  had  almost  said,  that  I  could  not  find 
in  my  heart  the  courage  to  try  her  any  further.  That  she  be 
gan  to  distrust  Rupert,  I  plainly  saw,  though  it  was  merely  with 


424  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

the  glimmerings  of  doubt.  A  nature  as  pure  as  hers,  and  a 
heart  so  true,  admitted,  with  great  reluctance,  the  proofs  of  the 
unworthiness  of  one  so  long  loved.  It  was  evident,  moreover, 
that  she  shrunk  from  revealing  her  own  great  secret,  while  she 
had  only  conjectures  to  offer  in  regard  to  Lucy  ;  and  even  these 
she  withheld,  as  due  to  her  sex,  and  the  obligations  of  friend 
ship.  I  forgot  that  I  had  not  been  ingenuous  myself,  and  that 
I  made  no  communication  to  justify  any  confidence  on  the  part 
of  my  sister.  That  which  would  have  been  treachery  in  her  to 
say,  under  this  state  of  the  case,  might  have  been  uttered  with 
greater  frankness  on  my  own  part.  After  a  pause,  to  allow  my 
sister  to  recover  from  her  agitation,  I  turned  the  discourse  to 
our  own  more  immediate  family  interests,  and  soon  got  oft'  the 
painful  subject  altogether. 

"  I  shall  be  of  age,  Grace,"  I  said,  in  the  course  of  my  ex 
planations,  "  before  you  see  me  again.  We  sailors  are  always 
exposed  to  more  chances  and  hazards  than  people  ashore ;  and, 
I  now  tell  you,  should  any  thing  happen  to  me,  my  will  may  be 
found  in  my  secretary ;  signed  and  sealed,  the  day  I  attain  my 
majority.  I  have  given  orders  to  have  it  drawn  up  by  a  lawyer  of 
eminence,  and  shall  take  it  to  sea  with  me,  for  that  very  purpose." 

"  From  which  I  am  to  infer  that  I  must  not  covet  Claw- 
bonny,"  answered  Grace,  with  a  smile  that  denoted  how  little 
she  cared  for  the  fact.  "  You  give  it  to  our  cousin,  Jack  Wal- 
lingford,  as  a  male  heir,  worthy  of  enjoying  the  honor." 

"  No,  dearest,  I  give  it  to  you.  It  is  true,  the  law  would  do 
this  for  me  ;  but  I  choose  to  let  it  be  known  that  I  wish  it  to 
be  so.  I  am  aware  my  father  made  that  disposition  of  the 
place,  should  I  die  childless  before  I  became  of  age ;  but,  once 
of  age,  the  place  is  all  mine ;  and  that  which  is  all  mine,  shall 
be  all  thine,  after  I  am  no  more." 

"  This  is  melancholy  conversation,  and,  I  trust,  useless.  Un 
der  the  circumstances  you  mention,  Miles,  I  never  should  have 
expected  Clawbonny,  nor  do  I  know  I  ought  to  possess  it.  It 
comes  as  much  from  Jack  Wallingford's  ancestors,  as  from  our 
own ;  and  it  is  better  it  should  remain  with  the  name.  I  will 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  425 

not  promise  you,  therefore,  I  will  not  givrc  it  to  him,  the  instant 
I  can." 

This  Jack  Wallingford,  of  whom  I  have  not  yet  spoken,  was 
a  man  of  five-and-forty,  and  a  bachelor.  He  was  a  cousin-gcr- 
man  of  my  father's,  being  the  son  of  a  younger  brother  of  my 
grandfather's,  and  somewhat  of  a  favorite.  He  had  gone  into 
what  was  called  the  new  countries,  in  that  day,  or  a  few  miles 
west  of  Cayuga  Bridge,  which  put  him  into  Western  New  York. 
I  had  never  seen  him  but  once,  and  that  was  on  a  visit  he  paid 
us  on  his  return  from  selling  quantities  of  pot  and  pearl  ashes  in 
town ;  articles  made  on  his  new  lands.  He  was  said  to  be  a 
prosperous  man,  and  to  stand  little  in  need  of  the  old  paternal 
property. 

After  a  little  more  conversation  on  the  subject  of  my  will, 
Grace  and  I  separated,  each  more  closely  bound  to  the  other, 
1  firmly  believed,  for  this  dialogue  in  the  "  family  room."  Never 
had  my  sister  seemed  more  worthy  of  all  my  love;  and,  certain 
I  am,  never  did  she  possess  more  of  it.  Of  Clawbonny  she 
was  as  sure  as  my  power  over  it  could  make  her. 

The  remainder  of  the  week  passed  as  weeks  are  apt  to  pass 
in  the  country,  and  in  summer.  Feeling  myself  so  often  uncom 
fortable  in  the  society  of  the  girls,  I  was  much  in  the  fields ; 
al  \vays  possessing  the  good  excuse  of  beginning  to  look  after 
my  own  affairs.  Mr.  Hardinge  took  charge  of  the  major,  an 
intimacy  beginning  to  spring  up  between  these  two  respectable 
old  men.  There  were,  indeed,  so  many  points  of  common  feel 
ing,  that  such  a  result  was  nt)t  at  all  surprising.  They  both 
loved  the  church — I  beg  pardon,  the  Holy  Catholic  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church.  They  both  disliked  Bonaparte — the  major 
hated  him,  but  my  guardian  hated  nobody — both  venerated  Billy 
Pitt,  and  both  fancied  the  French  Revolution  was  merely  the 
fulfilment  of  prophecy,  through  the  agency  of  the  devils.  As  we 
are  now  touching  upon  times  likely  to  produce  important  results, 
let  me  not  bo  misunderstood.  As  an  old  man,  aiming,  in  a  new 
sphere,  to  keep  enlightened  the  generation  that  is  coming  into 
active  life,  it  may  be  necessary  to  explain.  An  attempt  has  been 


426  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

made  to  induce  the  country  to  think  that  Episcopalian  and  tory 
were  something  like  synonymous  terms,  in  the  "  times  that  tried 
men's  souls."  This  is  sufficiently  impudent  per  se,  in  a  country 
that  possessed  Washington,  Jay,  Hamilton,  the  Lees,  the  Mor 
rises,  the  late  Bishop  White,  and  so  many  other  distinguished 
patriots  of  the  Southern  and  Middle  States ;  but  men  are  not 
particularly  scrupulous  when  there  is  an  object  to  be  obtained, 
even  though  it  be  pretended  that  heaven  is  an  incident  of  that 
object.  I  shall,  therefore,  confine  my  explanations  to  what  I 
have  said  about  Billy  Pitt  and  the  French. 

The  youth  of  this  day  may  deem  it  suspicious  that  an  Episco 
pal  divine — Protestant  Episcopal,  I  mean ;  but  it  is  so  hard  to 
get  the  use  of  new  terms  as  applied  to  old  thoughts,  in  the  de 
cline  of  life  ! — may  deem  it  suspicious  that  a  Protestant  Episco 
pal  divine  should  care  any  thing  about  Billy  Pitt,  or  execrate 
infidel  France;  I  will,  therefore,  just  intimate  that,  in  1802,  no 
portion  of  the  country  dipped  more  deeply  into  similar  senti 
ments  than  the  descendants  of  those  who  first  put  foot  on  the 
rock  of  Plymouth,  and  whose  progenitors  had  just  before  paid 
a  visit  to  Geneva,  where,  it  is  "  said  or  sung,"  they  had  found  a 
"  church  without  a  bishop,  and  a  state  without  a  king."  In  a 
word,  admiration  of  Mr.  Pitt,  and  execration  of  Bonaparte,  were 
by  no  means  such  novelties  in  America,  in  that  day,  as  to  excite 
wonder.  For  myself,  however,  I  can  truly  say,  that,  like  most 
Americans  who  went  abroad  in  those  stirring  times,  I  was  ready 
to  say  with  Mercutio,  "  a  plague  on  both  your  houses ;"  for 
neither  was  even  moderately  honest,  or  even  decently  respectful 
to  ourselves.  Party  feeling,  however,  the  most  _  inexorable,  and 
the  most  unprincipled,  of  all  tyrants,  and  the  bane  of  Ameri 
can  liberty,  notwithstanding  all  our  boasting,  decreed  otherwise ; 
and,  while  one  half  the  American  republic  was  shouting  hosan- 
nas  to  the  Great  Corsican,  the  other  half  was  ready  to  hail  Pitt 
as  the  "  Heaven-born  Minister."  The  remainder  of  the  nation 
felt  and  acted  as  Americans  should.  It  was  my  own  private 
opinion,  that  France  and  England  would  have  been  far  bettei 
off,  had  neither  of  these  worthies  ever  had  a  being. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  427 

Nevertheless,  the  union  of  opinion  between  the  divine  and 
the  major  was  a  great  bond  of  union  in  friendship.  I  saw  they 
were  getting  on  well  together,  and  let  things  take  their  course. 
As  for  Emily,  I  cared  v°ry  little  about  her,  except  as  she  might 
prove  to  be  connected  with  Rupert,  and  through  Rupert  with 
the  happiness  of  my  sister.  As  for  Rupert,  himself,  I  could  not 
get  entirely  weaned  from  one  whom  I  had  so  much  loved  in  boy 
hood,  and  who,  moreover,  possessed  the  rare  advantage  of  being 
Lucy's  brother  and  Mr.  Hardinge's  son.  "  Sidney's  sister,  Pem 
broke's  mother,"  gave  him  a  value  in  my  eyes  that  he  had  long 
ceased  to  possess  on  his  own  account. 

"  You  see,  Neb,"  I  said,  toward  the  end  of  the  week,  as  the 
black  and  I  were  walking  up  from  the  mill  in  company,  "  Mr. 
Rupert  has  altogether  forgotten  that  he  ever  knew  the  name 
of  a  rope  in  a  ship.  His  hands  are  as  w'hite  as  a  young 
lady's !" 

"  Nebber  mind  dat,  Masser  Mile.  Masser  Rupert  nebber  feel 
a  saterfaction  to  be  wracked  away,  or  to  be  prisoner  to  Injin ! 
Golly !  No  gentleum  to  be  envy,  sir,  'em  doesn't  enjoy  dat!" 

"  You  have  a  queer  taste,  Neb,  from  all  which  I  conclude  you 
expect  to  return  to  town  with  me  in  the  Wallingford,  this  even 
ing,  and  to  go  out  in  the  Dawn  ?" 

"  Sartain,  Masser  Mile.  How  you  t'ink  of  goin'  to  sea,  and 
leave  nigger  at  home  ?" 

Here  Neb  raised  such  a  laugh  that  he  might  have  been  heard 
a  hundred  rods,  seeming  to  fancy  the  idea  he  had  suggested  was 
so  preposterous  as  to  merit  nothing  but  ridicule. 

"  Well,  Neb,  I  consent  to  your  wishes ;  but  this  will  be  the 
last  voyage  in  which  you  will  have  to  consult  me  on  the  sub 
ject,  as  I  shall  make  out  your  freedom  papers  the  moment  I 
am  of  age." 

"  What  dem  ?"  demanded  the  black,  quick  as  lightning. 

"  Why,  papers  to  make  you  your  own  master — a  free  man ; 
you  surely  know  what  that  means.  Did  you  never  hear  of  free 
niggers  ?" 

"  Sartain — awful  poor  debble  dey  be,  too.     You  catch  Neb, 


428  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

one  day.  at  being  a  free  nigger,  gib  you  leave  to  tell  him  of  it, 
Masscr  Mile !" 

Here  was  another  burst  of  laughter  that  sounded  like  a 
chorus  in  merriment. 

"  This  is  a  little  extraordinary,  Neb !  I  thought,  boy,  all 
slaves  pined  for  freedom  ?" 

"  P'rhap  so ;  p'rhaps  not.  What  good  he  do,  Masscr  Mile, 
when  heart  and  body  well  satisfy  as  it  is.  Now,  how  long  a 
Wallingford  family  lib,  here,  in  dis  berry  spot  ?"  Neb  always 
talked  more  like  a  "  nigger,"  when  within  hearing  of  the  house 
hold  gods,  than  he  did  at  sea. 

"How  long?  About  a  hundred  years,  Neb — just  one  hun 
dred  and  seven,  I  believe,  to  be  accurate." 

"  And  how  long  a  Clawbonny  family,  at  'e  same  time,  Masser 
Mile  ?" 

"  Upon  my  word,  Neb,  your  pedigree  is  a  little  confused,  and 
I  cannot  answer  quite  as  certainly.  Eighty  or  ninety,  though, 
I  should  think,  at  least ;  and,  possibly,  a  hundred,  too.  Let  me 
see — you  called  old  Pompey  your  grandfather;  did  you  not, 
Neb  ?" 

"Sart'in;  berry  good  grandfader,  too,  Masser  Mile.  Olc 
Pomp  a  won'erful  black  !" 

"  Oh  !  I  say  nothing  touching  the  quality  ;  I  dare  say  he  was 
as  good  as  another.  Well,  I  think  that  I  have  heard  old  Pom- 
pey's  grandfather  was  an  imported  Guinea,  and  that  he  was  pur 
chased  by  my  great-grandfather,  about  the  year  1700." 

"  Dat  just  as  good  as  gospel !  Who  want  to  make  up  lie 
about  poor  debble  of  nigger  ?  Well,  den,  Masser  Mile,  in  all 
dem  1700  year,  did  he  cbber  hear  of  a  Clawbonny  that  want  to 
be  a  free  nigger?  Tell  me  dat,  once,  an'  I  hab  an  answer." 

"  Y^ou  have  asked  me  more  than  I  can  answer,  boy;  for  I  am 
not  in  the  secret  of  your  own  wishes,  much  less  in  those  of  all 
your  ancestors." 

Neb  pulled  off  his  tarpaulin,  scratched  his  wool,  rolled  his 
black  eyes  at  me,  as  if  he  enjoyed  the  manner  in  which  he  had 
puzzled  me  ;  after  which  he  set  oft'  on  a  tumbling  excursion,  in 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  429 

the  road,  going  like  a  wheel  on  his.  hands  and  feet,  showing  his 
teeth  like  rows  of  pearls,  and  concluding  the  whole  with  roa: 
the  third,  that  sounded  as  if  the  hills  and  valleys  were  laughing, 
in  the  very  fatness  of  their  fertility.  The  physical  tour  deforce 
wjis  one  of  those  feats  of  agility  in  which  Neb  had  been  my  in 
structor,  ten  years  before. 

"  S'pose  I  free,  who  do  sich  matter  for  you,  Masser  Mile  ?" 
cried  Neb,  like  one  laying  down  an  unanswerable  proposition. 
"  No,  no,  sir — I  belong  to  you,  you  belong  to  me,  and  we  belong 
to  one  anodder." 

This  settled  the  matter  for  the  present,  and  I  said  no  more. 
Neb  was  ordered  to  be  in  readiness  for  the  next  day ;  and  at 
the  appointed  hour,  I  met  the  assembled  party  to  take  my 
leave,  on  this,  my  third  departure  from  the  roof  of  my  fathers. 
It  had  been  settled  the  major  and  Emily  were  to  remain  at  the 
farm  until  July,  when  they  were  to  proceed  to  the  Springs,  for 
the  benefit  of  the  water,  after  living  so  long  in  a  hot  climate.  I 
had  passed  an  hour  with  my  guardian  alone,  and  he  had  no 
more  to  say,  than  to  wish  me  well,  and  to  bestow  his  blessing. 
I  did  not  venture  an  offer  to  embrace  Lucy.  It  was  the  first 
time  we  had  parted  without  this  token  of  affection ;  but  I  was 
shy,  and  I  fancied  she  was  cold.  She  offered  me  her  hand,  as 
frankly  as  ever,  however,  and  I  pressed  it  fervently,  as  I  wished 
her  adieu.  As  for  Grace,  she  wept  in  my  arms,  just  as  she  had 
always  done  ;  and  the  major  and  Emily  shook  hands  cordially 
with  me,  it  being  understood  I  should  find  them  in  New  York, 
at  my  return.  Rupert  accompanied  roe  down  to  the  sloop. 

"  If  you  should  find  an  occasion,  Miles,  let  us  hear  from  you," 
said  my  old  friend.  "  I  have  a  lively  curiosity  to  learn  some 
thing  of  the  Frenchmen  ;  nor  am  I  entirely  without  the  hope 
of  soon  gratifying  the  desire,  in  person." 

"  You  !  If  you  have  any  intention  to  visit  France,  what  bet 
ter  opportunity,  than  to  go  in  my  cabin  ?  Is  it  business,  that 
will  take  you  there  ?" 

"  Not  at  all ;  pure  pleasure.  Our  excellent  cousin  thinks  a 
gentleman  of  a  certain  class  -ought  to  travel ;  and  I  believe  she 


430  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

has  an  idea  of  getting  me  attached  to  the  legation,  in  some  form 
or  other." 

This  sounded  so  odd  to  me  !  Eupert  Hardinge,  who  had  not 
one  penny  to  rub  against  another,  so  lately,  was  now  talking  of 
his  European  tour,  and  of  legations !  I  ought  to  have  been 
glad  of  his  good  fortune,  and  I  fancied  I  was.  I  said  nothing, 
this  time,  concerning  his  taking  up  any  portion  of  my  earnings, 
having  the  sufficient  excuse  of  not  being  on  pay  myself.  Ru 
pert  did  not  stay  long  in  the  sloop,  and  we  were  soon  under  wav. 
I  looked  eagerly  along  the  high  banks  of  the  creek,  fringed  as 
it  was  with  bushes,  in  hopes  of  seeing  Grace,  at  least ;  nor  was 
I  disappointed.  She  and  Lucy  had  taken  a  direct  path  to  the 
point  where  the  two  waters  united,  and  were  standing  there,  as 
the  sloop  dropped  past.  They  both  waved  their  handkerchiefs, 
in  a  way  to  show  the  interest  they  felt  in  me  ;  and  I  returned 
the  parting  salutations  by  kissing  my  hand  again  and  again.  At 
this  instant,  a  sail-boat  passed  our  bows,  and  I  saw  a  gentleman 
standing  up  in  it,  waving  his  handkerchief,  quite  as  industrious 
ly  as  I  was  kissing  mv  hand.  A  look  told  me  it  was  Andrew 

J  O  *- 

Drewett,  who  directed  his  boat  to  the  point,  and  was  soon 
making  his  bows  to  the  girls  in  person.  His  boat  ascended 
the  creek,  no  doubt  with  his  luggage ;  while  the  last  I  saw  of 
the  party  it  was  walking  off  in  company,  taking  the  direction 
of  the  house. 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  431 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

*  Or  feeling,  as  the  storm  Increases, 
The  love  of  terror  nerve  thy  breast, 

Didst  venture  to  the  coast : 
To  see  the  mighty  war-ship  leap 
From  wave  to  wave  upon  the  deep, 
Like  chamois  goat  from  steep  to  steep, 
Till  low  in  valley  lost" 

ALLSTON. 

ROGER  TALCOTT  had  not  been  idle  during  my  absence. 
Clawbonny  was  so  dear  to  me,  that  I  had  staid  longer  than  was 
proposed  in  the  original  plan ;  and  I  now  found  the  hatches  on 
the  Dawn,  a  crew  shipped,  and  nothing  remaining  but  to  clear 
out.  I  mean  the  literal  thing,  and  not  the  slang  phrase,  one  of 
those  of  which  so  many  have  crept  into  the  American  language, 
through  the  shop,  and  which  even  find  their  way  into  print ; 
such  as  "  charter  coaches,"  "  on  a  boat,"  "  on  board  a  stage," 
and  other  similar  elegancies.  "  On  a  boat"  always  makes  me 

,  even  at  my  present  time  of  life.  The  Dawn  was  cleared 

the  day  I  reached  town. 

Several  of  the  crew  of  the  Crisis  had  shipped  with  us  anew, 
the  poor  fellows  having  already  made  away  with  all  their  wages 
and  prize  money,  in  the  short  space  of  a  month  !  This  denoted 
the  usual  improvidence  of  sailors,  and  was  thought  nothing  out 
of  the  common  way.  The  country  being  at  peace,  a  difficulty 
with  Tripoli  excepted,  it  was  no  longer  necessary  for  ships  to 
go  armed.  The  sudden  excitement  produced  by  the  brush  with 
the  French  had  already  subsided,  and  the  navy  was  reduced  to 
a  few  vessels  that  had  been  regularly  built  for  the  service  ;  wlui j 
the  lists  of  officers  had  been  curtailed  of  two  thirds  of  their 
names.  We  were  no  longer  a  warlike,  but  were  fast  getting  to 


432  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

be  a  strictly  commercial,  body  of  seamen.  I  had  a  single  six- 
ponnder,  and  half  a  dozen  muskets,  in  the  Dawn,  besides  a  pair 
or  two  of  pistols,  with  just  ammunition  enough  to  quell  a  muti 
ny,  fire  a  few  signal-guns,  or  to  kill  a  few  ducks. 

We  sailed  on  the  3d  of  July.  I  have  elsewhere  intimated 
that  the  Manhattanese  hold  exaggerated  notions  of  the  compara- 
tive  beauty  of  the  scenery  of  their  port,  sometimes  presuming 
to  compare  it  even  with  Naples ;  to  the  bay  of  which  it  bears 
some  such  resemblance  as  a  Dutch  canal  bears  to  a  river  flowing 
through  rich  meadows,  in  the  freedom  and  grace  of  nature. 
Nevertheless,  there  are  times  and  seasons  when  the  bay  of  New 
York  offers  a  landscape  worthy  of  any  pencil.  It  was  at  one  of 
these  felicitous  moments  that  the  Dawn  cast  off  from  the  wharf, 
and  commenced  her  voyage  to  Bordeaux.  There  was  barely 
air  enough  from  the  southward  to  enable  us  to  handle  the  ship, 
and  AVC  profited  by  a  morning  ebb  to  drop  down  to  the  Nar 
rows,  in  the  midst  of  a  fleet  of  some  forty  sail ;  most  of  the 
latter,  however,  being  coasters.  Still  we  were  a  dozen  ships  and 
brigs,  bound  to  almost  as  many  different  countries.  The  little 
air  there  was  seemed  scarcely  to  touch  the  surface  of  the  water ; 
and  the  broad  expanse  of  bay  was  as  placid  as  an  inland  lake, 
of  a  summer's  morning.  Yes,  yes — there  are  moments  when 
the  haven  of  New  York  does  present  pictures  on  which  the 
artist  would  seize  with  avidity ;  but  the  instant  nature  at 
tempts  any  of  her  grander  models,  on  this,  a  spot  that  seems 
never  to  rise  much  above  the  level  of  commercial  excellences,  it 
is  found  that  the  accessaries  are  deficient  in  sublimity,  or  even 
beauty. 

I  have  never  seen  our  home  waters  so  lovely  as  on  this  morn 
ing.  The  movements  of  the  vessels  gave  just  enough  of  life 
and  variety  to  the  scene  to  destroy  the  appearance  of  sameness  ; 
while  the  craft  were  too  far  from  the  land  to  prevent  one  of  the 
most  unpleasant  effects  of  the  ordinary  landscape  scenery  of  the 
place — that  produced  by  the  disproportion  between  the  tallness 
of  their  spars,  and  the  low  character  of  the  adjacent  shores. 
As  we  drew  near  the  Narrows,  the  wind  increased ;  and  forty 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  433 

sail,  working  through  the  pass  in  close  conjunction,  terminated 
the  piece  with  something  like  the  effect  produced  by  a  finale  in 
an  overture.  The  brightness  of  the  morning,  the  placid  charms 
of  the  scenery,  and  the  propitious  circumstances  under  which  I 
commenced  the  voyage,  in  a  commercial  point  of  view,  had  all 
contributed  to  make  me  momentarily  forget  my  private  griefs, 
and  to  enter  cheerfully  into  the  enjoyment  of  the  hour. 

I  greatly  disliked  passengers.  They  appeared  to  me  to  lessen 
the  dignity  of  my  position,  and  to  reduce  me  to  the  level  of  an 
innkeeper,  or  one  who  received  boarders.  I  wished  to  com 
mand  a  ship,  not  to  take  in  lodgers ;  persons  whom  you  are 
bound  to  treat  with  a  certain  degree  of  consideration,  and  in 
one  sense,  as  your  superiors.  Still,  it  had  too  much  of  an  ap 
pearance  of  surliness,  and  a  want  of  hospitality,  to  refuse  a 
respectable  man  a  passage  across  the  ocean,  when  he  might  not 
get  another  chance  in  a  month,  and  that,  too,  when  it  was  im 
portant  to  himself  to  proceed  immediately.  In  this  particular 
instance,  I  became  the  dupe  of  a  mistaken  kindness  on  the  part 
of  my  former  owners.  These  gentlemen  brought  to  me  a  Mr. 
Brigham — Wallace  Mortimer  Brigham  was  his  whole  name,  to 
be  particular — as  a  person  who  was  desirous  of  getting  to  France 
with  his  wife  and  wife's  sister,  in  order  to  proceed  to  Italy  for 
the  health  of  the  married  lady,  who  was  believed  to  be  verging 
on  a  decline.  These  people  were  from  the  eastward,  and  had 
fallen  into  the  old  error  of  Americans,  that  the  south  of  France 
and  Italy  had  residences  far  more  favorable  for  such  a  disease, 
than  our  own  country.  This  was  one  of  the  provincial  notions 
of  the  day,  that  were  entailed  on  us  by  means  of  colonial  de 
pendency.  I  suppose  the  colonial  existence  is  as  necessary  to  a 
people,  as  childhood  and  adolescence  are  to  the  man ;  but  as 
my  Lady  Mary  Wortley  Montagu  told  her  friend,  Lady  Rich — 
"  Nay ;  but  look  you,  my  dear  madam,  I  grant  it  a  very  fine 
thing  to  continue  always  fifteen;  that,  everybody  must  approve 
of — it  is  quite  fair :  but,  indeed,  one  need  not  be  five  years  old." 

I  was  prevailed  on  to  take  these  passengers,  and  I  got  a  speci 
men  of  their  characters  even  as  we  dropped  down  the  bay,  in 
19 


434  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

the  midst  of  the  agreeable  scene  to  which  I  have  just  alluded. 
They  were  gossips ;  and  that,  too,  of  the  lowest,  or  personal 
cast.  Nothing  made  them  so  happy  as  to  be  talking  of  the 
private  concerns  of  their  fellow-creatures ;  and,  as  ever  must 
happen  where  this  propensity  exists,  nine  tenths  of  what  they 
said  rested  on  no  better  foundation  than  surmises,  inferences 
drawn  from  premises  of  questionable  accuracy,  and  judgments 
that  were  entered  up  without  the  authority,  or  even  the  inclini- 
tion,  to  examine  witnesses.  They  had  also  a  peculiarity  that  I 
have  often  remarked  in  persons  of  the  same  propensity ;  most 
of  their  gossiping  yose  from  a  desire  to  make  apparent  their 
own  intimacy  with  the  private  affairs  of  people  of  mark — over 
looking  the  circumstance  that,  in  thus  making  the  concerns  of 
others  the  subjects  of  their  own  comments,  they  were  impliedly 
admitting  a  consciousness  of  their  own  inferiority ;  men  seldom 
condescending  thus  to  busy  themselves  with  the  affairs  of  any 
but  those  of  whom  they  feel  it  to  be  a  sort  of  distinction  to 
converse.  I  am  much  afraid  good-breeding  has  more  to  do 
with  the  suppression  of  this  vice,  than  good  principles,  as  the 
world  goes.  I  have  remarked  that  persons  of  a  high  degree  of 
self-respect,  and  a  good  tone  of  manners,  are  quite  free  from 
this  defect  of  character ;  while  I  regret  to  be  compelled  to  say 
that  I  have  been  acquainted  with  divers  very  saintly  professors, 
including  one  or  two  parsons,  who  have  represented  the  very 
beau  ideal  of  scandal. 

My  passengers  gave  me  a  taste  of  their  quality,  as  I  have  said, 
before  we  had  got  a  mile  below  Governor's  Island.  The  ladies 
were  named  Sarah  and  Jane ;  and  between  them  and  Wallace 
Mortimer,  what  an  insight  did  I  obtain  into  the  private  affairs 
of  sundry  personages  of  Salem,  in  Massachusetts,  together  with 
certain  glimpses  in  at  Boston  folk ;  all,  however,  referring  to 
qualities  and  facts  that  might  be  classed  among  the  real  or  sup 
posed.  I  can,  at  this  distant  day,  recall  Scene  1st,  Act  1st,  of 
the  drama  that  continued  while  we  were  crossing  the  ocean, 
with  the  slight  interruption  of  a  few  days,  produced  by  sea- 
eiokness. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  435 

"Wallace,"  said  Sarah,. "did  you  say,  yesterday,  that  John 
Viner  had  refused  to  lend  his  daughter's  husband  twenty  thou 
sand  dollars,  to  get  him  out  of  his  difficulties,  and  that  he  failed 
in  consequence  ?" 

"  To  be  sure.  It  was  the  common  talk  through  Wall  street 
yesterday,  and  everybody  believes  it" — there  was  no  more  truth 
in  the  story,  than  in  one  of  the  forty  reports  that  have  killed 
General  Jackson  so  often,  in  the  last  twenty  years.  "  Yes,  no 
one  doubts  it — but  all  the  Viners  are  just  so  !  All  of  us,  in  our 
part  of  the  world,  know  what  to  think  of  the  Viners." 

"  Yes,  I  suppose  so,"  drawle'd  Jane.  "  I've  heard  it  said  this 
John  Viner's  father  ran  all  the  way  from  the  Commons  in  Bos 
ton,  to  the  foot  of  State  street,  .to  get  rid  of  a  dun  against  this 
very  son,  who  had  his  own  misfortunes  when  he  was  young." 

"  The  story  is  quite  likely  true  in  part,"  replied  Wallace, 
"  though  it  can't  be  quite  accurate,  as  the  old  gentleman  had 
but  one  leg,  and  running  was  altogether  out  of  the  question  with 
him.  It  was  probably  old  Tim  Viner,  who  ran  like  a  deer  when 
a  young  man,  as  I've  heard  people  say." 

"  Well,  then,  I  suppose  he  ran  his  horse,"  added  Jane,  in  the 
same  quiet,  drawling  tone.  "Something  must  have  run,  or  they 
never  would  have  got  up  the  story." 

I  wondered  if  Miss  Jane  Hitchcox  had  ever  taken  the  trouble 
to  ascertain  who  they  were !  I  happened  to  know  both  the 
Viners,  and  to  be  quite  certain  there  was  not  a  word  of  truth  in 
the  report  of  the  twenty  thousand  dollars,  having  heard  all  the 
particulars  of  the  late  failure  from  one  of  my  former  owners, 
who  was  an  assignee,  and  a  considerable  creditor.  Under  the 
circumstances,  I  thought  I  would  hint  as  much. 

"  Are  you  quite  sure  that  the  failure  of  Viner  &  Co.  was 
owing  to  the  circumstance  you  mention,  Mr.  Brigham?"  I  in 
quired. 

"Pretty  certain.  I  am  ' measurably  acquainted'  with  their 
affairs,  and  think  I  am  tolerably  safe  in  saying  so." 

Now,  "  measurably  acquainted"  meant  that  he  lived  within 
twenty  or  thirty  miles  of  those  who  did  know  something  of  tho 


43fi  AFLOAT     AND      A8HOKE. 

concerns  of  the  house  in  question,  and  was  in  the  way  of  catch 
ing  scraps  of  the  gossip  that  fell  from  the  disappointed  creditors. 
How  much  of  this  is  there  in  this  good  country  of  ours !  Men 
who  live  just  near  enough  to  one  another  to  feel  the  influence 
of  all  that  rivalry,  envy,  personal  strifes  and  personal  malignan 
cies,  can  generate,  fancy  they  are  acquainted,  from  this  circum 
stance,  with  those  to  whom  they  have  never  even  spoken.  One 
half  the  idle  tales  that  circulate  up  and  down  the  land,  come 
from  authority  not  one  tittle  better  than  this.  How  much 
would  men  learn,  could  they  only  acquire  the  healthful  lesson 
of  understanding  that  nothing,  ivhich  is  much  out  of  the  ordi 
nary  way,  and  which  circulates  as  received  truths  illustrative  of 
character,  is  true  in  all  its  material  parts,  and  very  little  in  any, 
But,  to  return  to  my  passengers,  and  that  portion  of  their  con 
versation  which  most  affected  myself.  They  continued  com 
menting  on  persons  and  families  by  name,  seemingly  more  to 
keep  their  hands  in,  than  for  any  other  discoverable  reason,  as 
each  appeared  to  be  perfectly  conversant  with  all  the  gossip 
that  was  started ;  when  Sarah  casually  mentioned  the  name  of 
Mrs.  Bradfort,  with  some  of  whose  supposed  friends,  it  now 
came  out,  they  had  all  a  general  visiting  acquaintance. 

"  Dr.  Hosack  is  of  opinion  she  cannot  live  long,  I  hear,"  said 
Jane,  with  a  species  of  fierce  delight  in  killing  a  fellow-creature, 
provided  it  only  led  to  a  gossip  concerning  her  private  affairs. 
"  Her  case  has  been  decided  to  be  a  cancer,  now,  for  more  than 
a  week,  and  she  made  her  will  last  Tuesday." 

"  Only  last  Tuesday  ?"  exclaimed  Sarah,  in  surprise.  "  Well, 
I  heard  she  had  made  her  will  a  twelvemonth  since,  and  that  she 
left  all  her  property  to  young  Rupert  Hardinge ;  in  the  expecta 
tion,  some  persons  thought,  that  he  might  marry  her." 

"  How  could  that  be,  my  dear  ?"  asked  the  husband ;  "  in 
what  would  she  be  better  off  for  leaving  her  own  property  to 
her  husband  ?" 

"  Why,  by  law,  would  she  not  ?  I  don't  exactly  know  how 
it  would  happen,  for  I  do  not  particularly  understand  these 
things ;  but  it  seems  natural  that  a  woman  would  be  a  gainer  if 


* 

AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  437 

she  made  the  man  she  was  about  to  marry  her  heir.  She  would 
have  her  thirds  in  his  estate,  would  she  not  ?" 

"But,  Mrs.  Brigham,"  said  I,  smiling,  "is  it  quite  certain 
Mrs.  Bradfort  wishes  to  marry  Rupert  Hardinge,  at  all  ?" 

"  I  know  so  little  of  the  parties,  that  I  cannot  speak  with 
certainty  in  the  matter,  I  admit,  Captain  Wallingford." 

"  Well,  but  Sarah,  dear,"  interposed  the  more  exacting  Jane, 
"  you  are  making  yourself  unnecessarily  ignorant.  You  very  well 
know  how  intimate  we  are  with  the  Greenes,  and  they  know  the 
Winters  perfectly  well,  who  are  next-door  neighbors  to  Mrs. 
Bradfort.  I  don't  see  how  you  can  say  we  haven't  good  means 
of  being  'measurably'  well  informed." 

Now,  I  happened  to  know  through  Grace  and  Lucy,  that  a 
disagreeable  old  person  of  the  name  of  Greene  did  live  next 
door  to  Mrs.  Bradfort ;  but,  that  the  latter  refused  to  visit  her, 
firstly,  because  she  did  not  happen  to  like  her,  and  secondly, 
because  the  two  ladies  belonged  to  very  different  social  cir 
cles  ;  a  sufficient  excuse  for  not  visiting  in  town,  even  though 
the  parties  inhabited  the  same  house.  But  the  Brighams,  be 
ing  Salem  people,  did  not  understand  that  families  might  reside, 
next  door  to  each  other,  in  a  large  town,  for  a  long  series  of 
months,  or  even  years,  and  not  know  each  other's  names.  It 
would  not  be  easy  to  teach  this  truth,  one  of  every-day  occur 
rence,  to  the  inhabitant  of  one  of  our  provincial  towns,  who  was 
in  the  habit  of  fancying  he  had  as  close  an  insight  into  the  pri 
vate  affairs  of  all  his  neighbors,  as  they  enjoyed  themselves. 

"  No  doubt  we  are  all  as  well  off  as  most  strangers  in  New 
York,"  observed  the  wife ;  "  still,  it  ought  to  be  admitted  that 
we  may  be  mistaken.  I  have  heard  it  said  there  is  an  old  Mr. 
Hardinge,  a  clergyman,  who  would  make  a  far  better  match  for 
the  lady,  than  his  son.  However,  it  is  of  no  great  moment, 
now  ;  for,  when  our  neighbor,  Mrs.  John  Foote,  saw  Dr.  Hosack 
about  her  own  child,  she  got  all  the  particulars  out  of  him  about 
Mrs.  Bradfort's  case,  from  the  highest  quarter,  and  I  had  it  from 
Mrs.  Foote,  herself." 

"  I  could  not  have  believed  that  a  physician  of  Dr.  Hosack's 


438  AFLOAT      AND      ASHOKE. 

eminence  and  character  would  speak  openly  of  the  diseases  of  his 
patients,"  I  observed,  a  little  tartly,  I  am  afraid. 

"  Oh  !  he  didn't,"  said  Sarah,  eagerly — "  he  was  as  cunning 
as  a  fox,  Mrs.  Foote  owned  herself,  and  played  her  ofi'  finely ; 
but  Mrs.  Foote  was  cunninger  than  any  half  dozen  foxes,  and 
got  it  all  out  of  him  by  negations." 

"  Negations  ?"  I  exclaimed,  wondering  what  was  meant  by 
the  term,  though  I  had  understood  I  was  to  expect  a  little 
more  philosophy  and  metaphysics,  net  to  say  algebra,  in  my 
passengers,  than  usually  accompanied  petticoats  in  our  part  of 
the  world. 

"Certainly,  negations"  answered  the  matron,  with  a  smile  as 
complacent  as  that  which  usually  denotes  the  consciousness  of 
intellectual  superiority.  "  One  who  is  a  little  practised,  can  as 
certain  a  fact  as  well  by  means  of  negatives  as  affirmatives.  It 
only  requires  judgment  and  use." 

"  Then  Mrs./Bradfort's  disease  is  only  ascertained  by  the  neg 
ative  process  ?" 

"  So  I  suppose — but  what  does  one  want  more,"  put  in  the 
husband ;  "  and  that  she  made  her  will  last  week,  I  feel  quite 
sure,  as  it  was  generally  spoken  of  among  our  friends." 

Here  were  people  who  had  been  in  New  York  only  a  month, 
looking  out  for  a  ship,  mere  passengers  as  it  might  be,  who 
knew  more  about  a  family  with  which  I  had  myself  such  an 
intimate  connection,  than  its  own  members.  I  thought  it  no 
wonder  that  such  a  race  was  capable  of  enlightening  mankind, 
on  matters  and  things  in  general.  But  the  game  did  not  end 
here. 

"  I  suppose  Miss  Lucy  Hardinge  will  get  something  by  Mrs. 
Bradfort's  death,"  observed  Miss  Jane,  "  and  that  she  and 
Mr.  Andrew  Drewett  will  marry  as  soon  as  it  shall  become 
proper." 

Here  was  a  speculation,  for  a  man  in  my  state  of  mind  !  Tho 
names  were  all  right ;  some  of  the  incidents,  even,  were  prob 
able,  if  not  correct ;  yet,  how  could  the  facts  be  known  to  these 
comparative  strangers  ?  Did  the  art  of  gossiping,  with  all  its 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  439 

meannesses,  lies,  devices,  inventions,  and  cruelties,  really  pos 
sess  so  much  advantage  over  the  intercourse  of  the  confiding  and 
honest,  as  to  enable  those  who  practise  it  to  discover  facts  hid 
den  from  eye-witnesses,  and  eye-witnesses,  too,  that  had  every 
inducement  of  the  strongest  interest  in  the  issue,  not  to  be  de 
ceived  ?  I  felt  satisfied,  the  moment  Mrs.  Greene's  name  was 
mentioned,  that  my  passengers  were  not  in  the  true  New  York 
f,et ;  and,  justly  enough,  inferred  they  were  not  very  good  au 
thority  for  one  half  they  said ;  and,  yet,  how  could  they  know 
any  thing  of  Drewett's  attachment  to  Lucy,  unless  their  infor 
mation  were  tolerably  accurate  ? 

I  shall  not  attempt  to  repeat  ah1  that  passed  while  the  ship 
dropped  down  the  bay  ;  but  enough  escaped  the  gossips  to  ren 
der  me  still  more  unhappy  than  I  had  yet  been,  on  the  subject 
of  Lucy.  I  could  and  did  despise  these  people — that  was  easy 
en u ugh  ;  but  it  was  not  so  easy  to  forget  all  that  they  said  and 
surmised.  This  is  one  of  the  curses  attendant  on  the  habit  of 
loose  talking ;  one  never  knowing  what  to  credit,  and  what  not. 
In  spite  of  all  my  disgust,  and  a  firm  determination  not  to  con 
tribute  in  any  manner  to  the  stock  in  trade  of  these  people,  I 
found  great  difficulty  in  evading  their  endless  questions.  How 
much  they  got  out  of  me,  by  means  of  the  process  of  negations, 
I  never  knew ;  but  they  got  no  great  matter  through  direct 
affirmatives.  Something,  however,  persons  so  indefatigable,  to 
whom  gossiping  was  the  great  aim  of  life,  must  obtain,  and 
they  ascertained  that  Mr.  Hardinge  was  my  guardian,  that  Ru 
pert  and  I  had  passed  our  boyhoods  in  each  other's  company, 
and  that  Lucy  was  even  an  inmate  of  my  own  house  the  day 
we  sailed.  This  little  knowledge  only  excited  a  desire  for 
more,  and,  by  the  end  of  a  week,  I  was  obliged  to  submit  to 
devices  and  expedients  to  pump  me,  than  which  even  the 
thumb-screw  was  scarcely  more  efficient.  I  practised  on  the 
negative  system,  myself,  with  a  good  deal  of  dexterity,  however, 
and  threw  my  inquisitors  off,  very  handsomely,  more  than  once, 
until  I  discovered  that  Wallace  Mortimer,  determined  not  to  be 
baffled,  actually  opened  communications  with  Neb,  in  order  to 


440  AFLOAT      AND     ASHORE. 

get  a  clearer  insight  into  my  private  affairs !  After  this,  I  pre 
sume  my  readers  will  not  care  to  hear  any  more  about  these 
gentry,  whose  only  connection  with  my  life  grew  out  of  the  mis 
givings  they  contributed  largely  to  create  in  my  mind  touching 
the  state  of  Lucy's  affections.  This  much  they  did  effect,  and  I 
was  compelled  to  submit  to  their  power.  We  are  all  of  us, 
more  or  less,  the  dupes  of  knaves  and  fools. 

AJ1  this,  however,  was  the  fruits  of  several  weeks'  intercourse, 
and  I  have  anticipated  events  a  little  in  order  to  make  the  state 
ments  in  connection.  Meeting  a  breeze,  as  has  been  said  already, 
the  Dawn  got  over  the  bar  about  two  o'clock,  and  stood  off  the 
land,  on  an  easy  bowline,  in  company  with  the  little  fleet  of 
square-rigged  vessels  that  went  out  at  the  same  time.  By  sun 
set  Navesink  again  dipped,  and  I  was  once  more  fairly  at  sea. 

This  was  at  the  period  when  the  commerce  of  America  was 
at  its  height.  The  spirit  shown  by  the  young  republic  in  the 
French  affair  had  commanded  a  little  respect,  though  the  sup 
posed  tendencies  of  the  new  administration  was  causing  any 
thing  but  a  cordial  feeling  toward  the  country  to  exist  in  Eng 
land.  That  powerful  nation,  however,  had  made  a  hollow  peace 
with  France  the  previous  March,  and  the  highway  of  nations  was 
temporarily  open  to  all  ships  alike,  a  state  of  things  that  existed 
for  some  ten  months  after  we  sailed.  Nothing  to  be  appre 
hended,  consequently,  lay  before  me,  beyond  the  ordinary  dan 
gers  of  the  ocean.  For  these  last  I  was  now  prepared  by  the 
experience  of  several  years  passed  almost  entirely  on  board  ship, 
during  which  time  I  had  encircled  the  earth  itself  in  my  pere 
grinations. 

Our  run  off  the  coast  was  favorable,  and  the  sixth  day  out 
we  were  in  the  longitude  of  the  tail  of  the  Grand  Bank.  I  was 
delighted  with  my  ship,  which  turned  out  to  be  even  more  than 
I  had  dared  to  hope  for.  She  behaved  well  under  all  circum 
stances,  sailing  even  better  than  she  worked.  The  first  ten  days 
of  our  passage  were  prosperous,  and  we  were  mid-ocean  by  the 
10th  of  the  month.  During  this  time  I  had  nothing  to  annoy 
me  but  the  ceaseless  cancan*  of  my  passengers.  I  had  heart. 


AFLOAT     AND     ASHOEE.  441 

the  name  of  every  individual  of  note  in  Salem,  with  certain  pas 
sages  in  his  or  her  life,  and  began  to  fancy  I  had  lived  a  twelve 
month  in  the  place.  At  length  I  began  to  speculate  on  the 
reason  why  this  morbid  propensity  should  exist  so  much 
stronger  in  that  part  of  the  world  than  in  any  other  I  had 
visited.  There  was  nothing  new  in  the  disposition  of  the  peo 
ple  of  small  places  to  gossip,  and  it  was  often  done  in  large 
towns,  more  especially  those  that  did  not  possess  the  tone  of  a 
capital.  Lady  Mary  Wortley  Montagu  and  Horace  Walpole 
wrote  gossip,  but  it  was  spiced  with  wit,  as  is  usual  with  the 
scandal  of  such  places  as  London  and  Paris ;  whereas  this,  to 
which  I  was  doomed  to  listen,  was  nothing  more  than  downright 
impertinent,  vulgar,  meddling  with  the  private  affairs  of  all 
those  whom  the  gossips  thought  of  sufficient  importance  to  talk 
about.  At  Clawbouny  we  had  our  gossip,  too,  but  it  was  inno 
cent,  seldom  infringed  much  on  the  truth,  and  usually  respected 
the  right  of  every  person  to  possess  certain  secrets  that  might 
remain  inviolate  to  the  world.  No  such  rules  prevailed  with  my 
passengers.  Like  a  certain  editor  of  a  newspaper  of  my  ac 
quaintance,  who  acts  as  if  he  fancied  all  things  in  heaven  and 
earth  were  created  expressly  to  furnish  materials  for  "  para 
graphs,"  they  appeared  to  think  that  everybody  of  their  ac 
quaintance  existed  for  no  other  purpose  than  to  furnish  them 
food  for  conversation.  There  must  have  been  some  unusual 
cause  for  so  much  personal  espionnage,  and  at  length  I  came  to 
the  following  conclusion  on  the  subject.  I  had  heard  that 
church  government  among  the  Puritans  descended  into  all  the 
details  of  life  ;  that  it  was  a  part  of  their  religious  duty  to  watch 
over  each  other,  jog  the  memories  of  the  delinquents,  and  serve 
God  by  ferreting  out  vice.  This  is  a  terrible  inducement  to  fill 
the  mind  with  the  motes  of  a  neighborhood,  and  the  mind  thus 
stowed,  as  we  sailors  say,  will  be  certain  to  deliver  a  cargo.  Then 
come  the  institutions,  with  their  never-ending  elections,  and  the 
construction  that  has  been  put  on  the  right  of  the  elector  to  in 
quire  into  all  things ;  the  whole  consummated  by  the  journals, 
who  assume  a  power  to  penetrate  the  closet,  ay,  oven  the  heart, 
19* 


442  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

and  lay  bare  its  secrets.  Is  it  any  wonder  if  we  should  become 
in  time,  a  nation  of  mere  gossips?  As  for  my  passengers,  even 
Neb  got  to  consider  them  as  so  many  nuisances. 

From  some  cause  or  other,  whether  it  was  having  these  loose- 
tongued  people  on  board  or  not,  is  more  than  I  can  say,  but 
certain  it  is,  about  the  time  Salem  was  handsomely  cleaned  out, 
and  a  heavy  inroad  had  been  made  upon  Boston,  that  the 
weather  changed.  It  began  to  blow  in  gusts,  sometimes  from 
one  point  of  the  compass,  sometimes  from  another,  until  the  ship 
was  brought  to  very  short  canvas,  from  a  dread  of  being  caught 
unprepared.  At  length  these  fantasies  of  the  winds  terminated 
in  a  tremendous  gale,  such  as  I  had  seldom  then  witnessed,  and 
such,  indeed,  as  I  have  seldom  witnessed  since.  It  is  a  great 
mistake  to  suppose  that  the  heaviest  weather  occurs  in  the  au 
tumnal,  spring,  or  winter  months.  Much  the  strongest  blows  I 
have  ever  known,  have  taken  place  in  the  middle  of  the  warm 
weather.  This  is  the  season  of  the  hurricanes,  and,  out  of  the 
tropics,  I  think  it  is  also  the  season  of  the  gales.  It  is  true, 
these  gales  do  not  return  annually,  a  long  succession  ot  years  fre 
quently  occurring  without  one ;  but  when  they  do  come,  they 
may  be  expected,  in  our  own  seas,  in  July,  August,  or  Septem 
ber. 

The  wind  commenced  at  south-west  on  this  occasion,  and  it 
blew  fresh  for  several  hours,  sending  us  ahead  on  our  course  at 
the  rate  of  eleven  knots.  As  the  sea  got  up  and  sail  was  re 
duced,  our  speed  was  a  little  diminished  perhaps,  but  we  must 
have  made  more  than  a  hundred  miles  in  the  first  ten  hours. 
The  day  was  bright,  cloudless,  genial,  and  even  bland,  there  be 
ing  nothing  unpleasant  in  the  feeling  of  the  swift  currents  of 
the  air  that  whirled  past  us.  At  sunset  I  did  not  quite  like  the 
appearance  of  the  horizon ;  and  we  let  the  ship  wade  through 
it  under  her  three  topsails,  single  reefed,  her  fore-course,  and 
fore-topmast  staysail.  This  was  short  canvas  for  a  vessel  that 
had  the  wind  nearly  over  her  taffrail.  At  nine  o'clock  second 
reefs  were  taken  in,  and  at  ten  the  mizzeu-topsail  was  furled.  I 
then  turned  in,  deeming  the  ship  quite  snug,  leaving  orders 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHOKE.  443 

with  the  mates  to  reduce  the  sail  did  they  find  the  ship  strain 
ing  or  the  spars  in  danger,  and  to  call  me  should  any  thing 
serious  occur.  I  was  not  called  until  daylight,  when  Talcott 
laid  his  hand  on  pay  shoulder,  and  said,  "  You  had  better  turn 
out,  Captain  Wallingford,  we  have  a  peeler,  and  I  want  a  little 
advice." 

It  was  a  peeler,  indeed,  when  I  reached  the  deck.  The 
ship  was  under  a  fore-course  and  a  close-reefed  main-topsail, 
canvas  that  can  be  carried  a  long  time  while  running  off,  but 
which  I  at  once  saw  was  quite  too  much  for  us.  An  order  was 
given  immediately  to  take  in  the  topsail.  Notwithstanding  the 
diminutive  surface  that  was  exposed,  the  surges  given  by  this 
bit  of  canvas,  as  soon  as  the  clews  were  eased  off  sufficiently  to 
allow  the  cloth  to  jerk,  shook  the  vessel's  hull.  It  was  a  miracle 
that  we  saved  the  mast,  or  that  we  got  the  cloth  rolled  up  at  all. 
At  one  time  I  thought  it  would  be  necessary  to  cut  it  from  the 
yard.  Fortunately  the  gale  was  steady,  this  day  proving  bright 
and  clear  like  that  wrhich  had  preceded  it. 

The  men  aloft  made  several  attempts  to  hail  the  deck,  but  the 
wind  blew  too  heavily  to  suffer  them  to  be  heard.  Talcott  had 
gone  on  the  yard  himself,  and  I  saw  him  gesticulating  in  a  way 
to  indicate  there  was  something  ahead.  The  seas  were  running 
so  high  that  it  was  not  easy  to  obtain  much  of  a  look  at  the 
horizon,  but  by  getting  into  the  mizzen-rigging  I  had  a  glimpse 
of  a  vessel's  spars,  to  the  eastward  of  us,  and  directly  on  our 
course.  It  was  a  ship  under  bare  poles,  running  as  nearly  before 
us  as  she  could,  but  making  most  fearful  yaws ;  sometimes  sheer 
ing  away  off  to  starboard,  in  a  way  to  threaten  her  with  broach- 
ing-to  ;  then  taking  a  yaw  to  port,  in  which  I  could  see  all  three 
of  her  masts,  with  their  yards  pointing  nearly  at  us.  I  got  but 
one  glimpse  of  her  hull  as  it  rose  on  a  sea  at  the  same  instant 
with  the  Dawn,  and  it  actually  appeared  as  if  about  to  be  blown 
away,  though  I  took  the  stranger  to  be  a  vessel  at  least  as  large 
as  we  were  ourselves.  We  were  evidently  approaching  her  fast, 
though  both  vessels  were  going  the  same  way. 

The  Dawn  steered  beautifully,  one  of  the  greatest  virtues  in  a 


444  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

ship,  under  the  circumstances  in  which  we  were  then  placed.  A 
single  man  was  all  that  we  had  at  the  wheel,  and  he  controlled 
it  with  ease.  I  could  see  it  was  very  different  with  the  ship 
ahead,  and  fancied  they  had  made  a  mistake  on  board  her,  by 
taking  in  all  their  canvas.  Talcott  and  the  gang  aloft,  had  not 
got  out  of  the  top,  however,  before  we  had  a  hint  that  it  would 
be  well  to  imitate  the  stranger's  prudence.  Though  our  vessel 
steered  so  much  better  than  another,  no  ship  can  keep  on  a 
direct  line  while  running  before  the  wind,  in  a  heavy  sea.  The 
waves  occasionally  fly  past  a  vessel,  like  the  scud  glancing 
through  the  air ;  then,  they  seem  to  pause,  altogether,  as  if  to 
permit  the  ship  to  overtake  them.  When  a  vessel  is  lifted  aft 
by  one  of  these  torrents  of  rushing  waters,  the  helm  loses  a  por- 
tio.n  of  its  power ;  and  the  part  of  the  vast  machine  that  first 
receives  the  impulse,  seems  intent  on  exchanging  places  with  the 
bows,  vessels  often  driving  sideways  before  the  surges,  for  spaces 
of  time  that  are  exceedingly  embarrassing  to  the  mariner.  This 
happens  to  the  best-steering  ships,  and  is  always  one  source  of 
danger  in  very  heavy  weather,  to  those  that  arc  running  off. 
The  merit  of  the  Dawn  was  in  coming  under  command  again, 
quickly,  and  in  not  losing  so  much  of  the  influence  of  her  helm, 
as  is  frequently  the  case  with  wild-steering  craft.  I  understand 
there  is  a  sloop-of-war  now  in  the  navy,  that  is  difficult  to  get 
through  a  narrow  passage,  in  a  blow,  in  consequence  of  her  hav 
ing  this  propensity  to  turn  her  head  first  one  way,  then  another, 
like  a  gay  horse  that  breaks  his  bridle. 

The  hint  given,  just  as  Talcott  was  quitting  the  top,  and  to 
which  there  has  been  allusion,  was  given  under  the  impulsion  of 
one  of  these  driving  seas.  The  Dawn  still  carried  her  fore-top 
mast  staysail,  a  small  triangular  piece  of  stout  canvas,  and  which 
was  particularly  useful,  as  leading  from  the  end  of  the  bowsprit 
toward  the  head  of  the  fore-topmast,  in  preventing  her  from 
broaching-to,  or  pressing  up  with  her  bows  so  near  the  wind  as 
to  produce  the  danger  of  seas  breaking  over  the  mass  of  the 
hull,  and  sweeping  the  decks.  The  landsman  will  understand 
.his  is  the  gravest  of  the  dangers  that  occur  at  sea,  in  very  heavy 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  445 

weather.  When  the  ship  is  thrown  broadside  to  the  sea,  01 
comes  up  so  as  to  bring  the  wind  abeam,  or  even  forward  of  the 
beam,  as  in  lying-to,  there  is  always  risk  from  this  source.  An 
other  danger,  which  is  called  pooping,  is  of  a  character  that  one 
who  is  ignorant  of  the  might  of  the  ocean  when  aroused,  would 
not  be  apt  to  foresee.  It  proceeds  from  the  impetuous  velocity 
of  the  waves,  which,  rushing  ahead  so  much  faster  than  the  ves 
sel  that  is  even  driving  before  the  gale,  breaks  against  the  quar 
ter,  or  stern,  and  throws  its  masses  of  water  along  the  deck,  in  a 
line  with  its  keel.  I  suppose  the  President  steamer  to  have 
been  lost  by  the  first  of  these  two  dangers,  as  will  appear  in  the 
following  little  theory. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  well-constructed  steamers  are  safer 
craft,  the  danger  from  fire  excepted,  than  the  ordinary  ship,  ex 
cept  in  very  heavy  weather.  With  an  ordinary  gale,  they  can 
contend  with  sufficient  power ;  but,  it  is  an  unfortunate  conse 
quence  of  their  construction,  that  exactly  as  the  danger  increases, 
their  power  of  meeting  it  diminishes.  In  a  very  heavy  swell, 
one  cannot  venture  to  resort  to  a  strong  head  of  steam,  since 
one  wheel  may  be  nearly  out  of  water,  while  the  other  is  sub 
merged,  and  thus  endanger  the  machinery.  Now,  the  great 
length  of  these  vessels  renders  it  difficult  to  keep  them  up  to 
the  wind,  or  head  to  sea,  the  safest  of  all  positions  for  a  vessel 
hi  heavy  weather,  while  it  exposes  them  to  the  additional  risk 
of  having  the  water  break  aboard  them  near  the  waist,  in  run 
ning  dead  before  it.  In  a  word,  I  suppose  a  steamer  difficult  to 
be  kept  out  of  the  trough,  in  very  heavy  weather ;  and  no  vessel 
can  be  safe  in  the  trough  of  the  seas,  under  such  circumstances ; 
one  of  great  length  less  so  than  others.  This  is  true,  however, 
only  in  reference  to  those  steamers  which  carry  the  old-fash 
ioned  wheel ;  Erricson's  screw,  and  Hunter's  submerged  wheels, 
rendering  steamships,  in  my  poor  judgment,  the  safest  craft  in 
the  world. 

The  Dawn  was  overtaken  by  the  seas,  from  time  to  time ;  and, 
then,  like  every  thing  else  that  floats,  she  yawed,  or  rather,  had 
her  stern  urged  impetuously  round,  as  if  it  were  in  a  hurry  to 


446  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

get  ahead  of  the  bows.  On  these  occasions,  the  noise  made  by 
the  fore-topmast  staysail,  as  it  collapsed  and  filled,  resembled 
the  report  of  a  small  gun.  We  had  similar  reports  from  the 
foresail,  which,  for  moments  at  a  time,  was  actually  becalmed, 
as  the  ship  settled  into  the  trough,  and  then  became  distended 
with  a  noise  like  that  of  the  shaking  of  a  thousand  carpets,  all 
filled  with  Sancho  Panzas,  at  the  same  instant.  As  yet,  the 
cloth  and  gear  had  stood  these  violent  shocks  admirably ;  but, 
just  as  Talcott  was  leading  his  party  down,  the  ship  made  one 
of  her  sidelong  movements ;  the  staysail  filled  with  a  tremen 
dous  report,  and  away  it  flew  to  leeward,  taken  out  of  the  bolt- 
rope  as  if  it  had  been  cut  by  shears,  and  then  used  by  the  furies 
of  the  tempest.  Talcott  smiled,  as  he  gazed  at  the  driving  can 
vas,  which  went  a  quarter  of  a  mile  before  it  struck  the  water, 
whirling  like  a  kite  that  has  broken  its  string,  and  then  he  shook 
his  head.  I  disliked,  too,  the  tremendous  surges  of  the  fore 
sail,  when  it  occasionally  collapsed,  and  as  suddenly  filled,  men 
acing  to  start  every  bolt,  and  to  part  every  rope  connected  with 
block  or  spar. 

"We  must  get  in  that  fore-course,  Mr.  Talcott,"  I  said,  "  or 
we  shall  lose  something.  I  see  the  ship  ahead  is  under  bare 
poles,  and  it  were  better  we  were  as  snug.  If  I  did  not  dislike 
losing  such  a  wind,  it  would  be  wiser  to  heave-to  the  ship ;  man 
the  buntlines  and  clew-garnets,  at  once,  and  wait  for  a  favorable 
moment." 

We  had  held  on  to  our  canvas  too  long ;  the  fault  of  youth. 
A.S  I  had  determined  to  shorten  sail,  however,  we  now  set  about 
it  in  earnest,  and  with  all  the  precautions  exacted  by  the  circum 
stances.  Everybody  that  could  be  mustered,  was  placed  at  the 
clew-lines  and  buntlines,  with  strict  orders  to  do  his  best  at  the 
proper  moments.  The  first  mate  went  to  the  tack,  and  the 
second  to  the  sheet.  I  was  to  take  in  the  sail  myself.  I  waited 
for  a  collapse ;  and  then,  while  the  ship  was  buried  between  two 
mounds  of  water,  when  it  was  impossible  to  see  a  hundred  yards 
from  her  in  any  direction,  and  the  canvas  was  actually  dropping 
against  the  mast,  I  gave  the  usual  orders.  Every  man  hauled, 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  447 

as  if  for  life,  and  we  Had  got  the  clews  pretty  well  up,  when  the 
vessel  came  out  of  the  cavern  into  the  tempest,  receiving  the 
whole  power  of  the  gale,  with  a  sudden  surge,  into  the  bellying 
canvas.  Away  went  every  thing,  as  if  the  gear  were  cobwebs. 
At  the  next  instant,  the  sail  was  in  ribbons.  I  was  deeply  mor 
tified,  as  well  as  rendered  uneasy,  by  this  accident,  as  the  ship 
ahead  unquestionably  was  in  full  view  of  all  that  happened. 

It  was  soon  apparent,  however,  that  professional  pride  must 
give  place  to  concern  for  the  safety  of  the  vessel.  The  wind 
had  been  steadily  increasing  in  power,  and  had  now  reached  a 
pass  when  it  became  necessary  to  look  things  steadily  in  the 
face.  The  strips  of  canvas  that  remained  attached  to  the  yard, 
with  the  blocks  and  gear  attached,  threshed  about  in  a  way  to 
threaten  the  lives  of  all  that  approached.  This  was  only  at  the 
intervals  when  the  ship  settled  into  the  troughs ;  for,  while  under 
the  full  influence  of  the  gale,  pennants  never  streamed  more  di 
rectly  from  a  mast,  than  did  these  heavy  fragments  from  the 
fore-yard.  It  was  necessary  to  get  rid  of  them  ;  and  Talcott  had 
just  volunteered  to  go  on  the  yard  with  this  end,  when  Neb 
sprang  into  the  rigging  without  an  order,  and  was  soon  beyond 
the  reach  of  the  voice.  This  daring  black  had  several  narrow 
escapes,  more  especially  from  the  fore-sheet  blocks ;  but  he  suc 
ceeded  in  cutting  every  thing  adrift,  and  in  leaving  nothing  at 
tached  to  the  spar,  but  the  bolt-rope  of  the  head  of  the  sail.  It 
is  true,  little  effected  this  object,  when  the  knife  could  be  ap 
plied,  the  threads  of  the  stout  canvas  snapping  at  the  touch. 

As  soon  as  the  ship  was  under  bare  poles,  though  at  the  sacri 
fice  of  two  of  her  sails,  I  had  leisure  to  look  out  for  the  other 
vessel.  There  she  was,  more  than  half  a  mile  ahead  of  us,  yaw 
ing  wildly,  and  rolling  her  lower  yard-arm,  to  the  water's  edge. 
As  we  drew  nearer,  I  got  better  glimpses  of  this  vessel,  which 
was  a  ship,  and  as  I  fancied,  an  English  West  Indiaman,  deep- 
loaded  with  the  produce  of  the  islands.  Deep-loaded,  as  I  fan 
cied,  for  it  was  only  at  instants  that  she  could  be  seen  at  all 
under  circumstances  to  judge  of  this  fact;  sometimes  her  hull 
appearing  to  be  nearly  smothered  in  the  brine,  and  then,  again, 


448  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

her  copper  glistening  in  the  sun,  resembling  a  light  vessel,  kept 
under  the  care  of  some  thrifty  housewife. 

The  Dawn  did  not  fly,  now  all  her  canvas  was  gone,  as  fast 
as  she  had  previously  done.  She  went  through  the  water  at  a 
greater  rate  than  the  vessel  ahead ;  but  it  required  an  hour  lon 
ger  to  bring  the  two  ships  within  a  cable's  length  of  each  other. 
Then,  indeed,  we  got  a  near  view  of  the  manner  in  which  the 
elements  can  play  with  such  a  mass  of  wood  and  iron  as  a  ship, 
when  in  an  angry  mood.  There  were  instants  when  I  fancied  I 
could  nearly  see  the  keel  of  the  stranger  for  half  its  length,  as  he 
went  foaming  up  on  the  crest  of  a  wave,  apparently  ready  to  quit 
the  water  altogether ;  then,  again,  he  would  settle  away  into  the 
blue  abyss,  hiding  every  thing  beneath  his  tops.  When  both  ves 
sels  sunk  together,  no  sign  of  our  neighbor  was  visible,  though 
so  near.  We  came  up  after  one  of  these  deep  plunges  into  the 
valleys  of  the  ocean,  and,  to  our  alarm,  saw  the  English  ship 
yawing  directly  athwart  our  course,  and  within  fifty  fathoms  of 
us.  This  was  about  the  distance  at  which  I  intended  to  pass, 
little  dreaming  of  finding  the  other  ship  so  completely  in  our 
way.  The  Englishman  must  have  intended  to  come  a  little 
nearer,  and  got  one  of  those  desperate  sheers  that  so  often  ran 
away  with  him.  There  he  was,  however ;  and  a  breathless  min 
ute  followed,  when  he  was  first  seen.  Two  vehicles  dashing 
along  a  highway,  with  frightened  and  runaway  teams,  would 
not  present  a  sight  one  half  as  terrific  as  that  which  lay  directly 
before  our  eyes. 

The  Dawn  was  plunging  onward  with  a  momentum  to  dash 
in  splinters,  did  she  strike  any  resisting  object,  and  yawing  her 
self  sufficiently  to  render  the  passage  hazardous.  But  the 
stranger  made  the  matter  tenfold  worse.  When  I  first  saw 
him  in  this  fearful  proximity,  his  broadside  was  nearly  offered 
to  the  seas,  and  away  he  was  flying,  on  the  summit  of  a  moun 
tain  of  foam,  fairly  crossing  our  fore-foot.  At  the  next  moment, 
he  fell  off  before  the  wind  again,  and  I  could  just  see  his  tops  di 
rectly  ahead.  His  sheer  had  been  to-port,  our  intention  having 
been  to  pass  him  on  his  larboard  side ;  but,  perceiving  him  to 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  449 

steer  so  wild,  I  thought  it  might  be  well  to  go  in  the  other  di 
rection.  Quick  as  the  words  could  be  uttered,  therefore,  I  called 
out  to  port  our  helm.  This  was  done,  of  course  ;  and  just  as 
the  Dawn  felt  the  new  influence,  the  other  vessel  took  the  same 
sheer,  and  away  we  both  went  to-starboard,  at  precisely  the 
same  instant.  I  shouted  to  right  our  helm  to  "hard  a-starboard," 
and  it  was  well  I  did  ;  a  minute  more  would  have  brought  us 
down  headlong  on  the  Englishman.  Even  now  we  could  only 
see  his  hull  at  instants ;  but  the  awful  proximity  of  his  spars 
denoted  the  full  extent  of  the  danger.  Luckily,  we  hit  on  oppo 
site  directions,  or  our  common  destruction  would  have  been 
certain.  But  it  was  one  thing  in  that  cauldron  of  a  sea  to  de 
termine  on  a  course,  and  another  to  follow  it.  As  we  rose  on 
the  last  wave  that  alone  separated  us  from  the  stranger,  he  was 
nearly  ahead ;  and  as  we  glanced  onjvard,  I  saw  that  we  could 
barely  clear  his  larboard  quarter.  Our  helm  being  already  a- 
starboard,  no  more  could  be  done.  Should  he  take  another 
sheer  to-port,  we  must  infallibly  cut  him  in  twain.  As  I  have 
said,  he  had  jammed  his  helm  to-port,  and  slowly,  and  with  a 
species  of  reluctance,  he  inclined  a  little  aside.  Then  we  came 
up,  both  ships  rolling  off,  or  our  yards  must  have  interlocked,  and 
passing  his  quarter  with  our  bows,  we  each  felt  the  sheer  at  the 
same  instant,  and  away  we  went  asunder,  the  sterns  of  the  ships 
looking  at  each  other,  and  certainly  not  a  hundred  feet  apart. 
A  shout  from  Talcott  drew  me  to  our  taffrail,  and,  standino-  on 

ii  O 

that  of  our  neighbor,  what  or  whom  should  I  see  waving  his 
hat,  but  the  red  countenance  of  honest  Moses  Marble  ! 


450  AFLOAT      AND      ASH  ORB. 


CHAPTER  XXVL 

u  At  the  piping  of  all  hands, 
When  the  judgment  signal's  spread — 
When  the  islands  and  the  lands, 
And  the  seas  give  up  the  dead, 
And  the  south  and  the  north  shall  come ; 
When  the  sinner  is  dismay'd, 
And  the  just  man  is  afraid, 
Then  Heaven  be  thy  aid, 
Poor  Torn." 

BRAINAED. 

THE  two  ships,  in  the  haste  of  their  respective  crews  to  get 
clear  of  each  other,  were  now  running  in  the  troughs ;  and  the 
same  idea  would  seem  to  have  suggested  itself  to  me  and  the 
other  master,  at  the  same  instant.  Instead  of  endeavoring  to 
keep  away  again,  one  kept  his  helm  hard  a-port,  the  other  as 
hard  a-starboard,  until  we  both  came  by  the  wind,  though  on 
opposite  tacks.  The  Englishman  set  his  mizzen  staysail,  and 
though  he  made  bad  weather  of  it,  he  evidently  ran  much  less 
risk  than  in  scudding.  The  seas  came  on  board  him  constantly  ; 
but  not  in  a  way  to  do  any  material  damage.  As  for  the  Dawn, 
she  lay-to,  like  a  duck,  under  bare  poles.  I  had  a  spare  stay 
sail  stopped  up  in  her  mizzen-rigging,  from  the  top  down,  an  1 
after  that  the  ship  was  both  easy  and  dry.  Once  in  a  while,  it 
is  true,  her  bows  would  meet  some  fellow  heavier  than  common, 
and  then  we  got  a  few  hogsheads  of  water  forward ;  but  it  went 
out  to  leeward  as  fast  as  it  came  in  to  windward.  At  the  turn 
of  the  day,  however,  the  gale  broke,  and  the  weather  moderated 
sensibly  ;  both  sea  and  wind  beginning  to  go  down. 

Had  we  been  alone,  I  should  not  have  hesitated  about  bear 
ing  up,  getting  some  sail  on  the  ship,  and  running  off  on  my 
course,  again  •  but.  the  desire  to  speak  the  stranger,  and  have 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  451 

some  communication  with  Marble,  was  so  strong,  that  I  could 
not  make  up  my  mind  to  do  so.  Including  myself,  Talcott, 
Neb,  the  cabin  steward,  and  six  of  the  people  forward,  there  were 
ten  of  us  on  board,  who  knew  the  ex-mate ;  and,  of  the  whole 
ten,  there  was  not  a  dissenting  voice  concerning  his  identity.  T 
determined,  therefore,  to  stick  by  the  Englishman,  and  at  least 
have  some  communication  with  my  old  friend.  As  for  myself, 
I  own  I  loved  Marble,  uncouth  and  peculiar  as  he  sometimes 
was.  I  owed  him  more  than  any  other  man  living,  Mr.  Har- 
dinge  excepted  ;  for  he  had  made  me  a  seaman,  having  been  of 
use  to  me  professionally,  in  a  hundred  ways.  Then  we  had 
seen  so  much  in  company,  that  I  regarded  him  as  a  portion  of 
my  experience,  and  as,  in  some  measure,  identified  with  my  own 
nautical  career. 

I  was  afraid  at  one  moment,  that  the  Englishman  intended  to 
remain  as  he  was,  all  night ;  but,  about  an  hour  before  sunset,  I 
had  the  gratification  to  see  him  set  his  foresail,  and  keep  off.  I 
had  wore  round,  two  hours  before,  to  get  the  Dawn's1  head  on 
the  same  tack  with  him,  and  followed  under  bare  poles.  As 
the  stranger  soon  set  his  main-topsail,  close  reefed,  and  then  his 
fore,  it  enabled  us  to  make  a  little  sail  also,  in  order  to  keep  up 
with  him.  This  we  did  all  that  night  ^  and,  in  the  morning, 
both  ships  were  under  every  thing  that  would  draw,  with  a 
moderate  breeze  from  the  northward,  and  no  great  matter  of  sea 
going.  The  English  vessel  was  about  a  league  to  leeward  of  us, 
and  a  little  ahead.  Under  such  circumstances,  it  was  easy  to 
close.  Accordingly,  just  as  the  two  ships'  companies  were  about 
to  go  to  breakfast,  the  Dawn  ranged  up  under  the  lee-quarter  of 
the  stranger. 

"  What  ship's  that  ?"  I  hailed,  in  the  usual  manner. 
"  The  Dundee  ;  Robert  Ferguson,  master.  What  ship's  that  ?" 
"  The  Dawn  ;  Miles  Wallingford.     Where  are  you  from  ?" 
"  From  Rio  de  Janeiro,  bound  to  London.     Where  are  you 
from  ?" 

"  From  New  York,  to  Bordeaux.  A  heavy  blow  we  have 
just  had  of  it." 


452  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

"  Quite  ;  the  like  of  it,  I've  not  seen  in  many  a  day.  You've 
a  pratty  sea-boat,  yon  !" 

"  She  made  capital  weather,  in  the  late  gale,  and  I've  every 
reason  to  be  satisfied  with  her.  Pray,  haven't  you  an  American 
on  board,  of  the  name  of  Marble  ?  We  fancied  that  we  saw  the 
face  of  an  old  shipmate  on  your  taffrail,  yesterday,  and  have 
kept  you  company  in  order  to  inquire  after  his  news." 

"  Ay,  ay,"  answered  the  Scotch  master,  waving  his  hand, 
"  the  chiel  will  be  visiting  you  prasently.  He's  below,  stowing 
away  his  dunnage;  and  will  be  thanking  you  for  a  passage 
home,  I'm  thinking." 

As  these  words  were  uttered,  Marble  appeared  on  deck,  and 
waved  his  hat,  again,  in  recognition.  This  was  enough ;  as  we 
understood  each  other,  the  two  ships  took  sufficient  room,  and 
hove-to.  We  lowered  our  boat,  and  Talcott  went  alongside  of 
the  Dundee,  in  quest  of  our  old  shipmate.  Newspapers  and 
news  were  exchanged ;  and,  in  twenty  minutes,  I  had  the  ex 
treme  gratification  of  grasping  Marble  once  more  by  the  hand. 

My  old  friend  was  too  much  affected  to  speak,  for  some  little 
time.  He  shook  hands  with  everybody,  and  seemed  as  much 
astonished  as  he  was  delighted  at  finding  so  many  of  us  to 
gether  again ;  but  not  a  syllable  did  he  utter  for  several  min 
utes.  I  had  his  chest  passed  into  the  cabin,  and  then  went 
and  took  my  seat  alongside  of  him  on  the  hen-coops,  intending 
to  hear  his  story,  as  soon  as  he  was  disposed  to  give  it.  But, 
it  was  no  easy  matter  to  get  out  of  ear-shot  of  my  passengers. 
During  the  gale,  they  had  been  tongue-tied,  and  I  had  a  little 
peace ;  but,  no  sooner  did  the  wind  and  sea  go  down,  than  they 
broke  out  in  the  old  spot,  and  began  to  do  Boston,  in  the  way 
(hey  had  commenced.  Now,  Marble  had  come  on  board,  in  a 
manner  so  unusual,  and  it  was  evident  a  secret  history  was  to 
be  revealed,  they  all  three  took  post  in  the  companion-way,  in  a 
manner  to  render  it  impossible  any  thing  material  could  escape 
them.  I  knew  the  folly  of  attempting  a  change  of  position  on 
deck  ;  we  should  certainly  be  followed  up ;  and,  people  of  this 
slass,  so  long  as  they  can  make  the  excuse  of  saying  they  heard 


AFLOAT     AND     ASHORE.  453 

any  part  of  a  secret,  never  scruple  about  inventing  the  portions 
that  happen  to  escape  their  ears.  Consequently,  I  desired 
Marble  and  Talcott  to  follow  me ;  and,  incontinently,  I  led  the 
way  into  the  main-top.  I  was  obeyed,  the  second  mate  having 
the  watch,  and  all  three  of  us  were  soon  seated  with  our  legs 
over  the  top-rim,  as  comfortable  as  so  many  gossips,  who  had 
just  finished  their  last  cups,  have  stirred  the  fire,  and  drawn 
their  heads  together  to  open  a  fresh  budget.  Neither  Sarah 
nor  Jane  could  follow  us,  thank  God ! 

"  There,  d — n  'em,"  said  I,  a  little  pointedly,  for  it  was 
enough  to  make  a  much  more  scrupulous  person  swear,  "  we've 
got  the  length  of  the  main-rigging  between  us,  and  I  do  not 
think  they'll  venture  into  the  top,  this  fine  morning,  in  order  to 
overhear  Avhat  shall  be  said.  It  would  puzzle  even  Wallace 
Mortimer  to  do  that,  Talcott." 

"  If  they  do,"  observed  Talcott,  laughing,  "  we  can  retreat  to 
the  cross-trees,  and  thence  to  the  royal-yard." 

Marble  looked  inquisitive,  but,  at  the  same  time,  he  looked 
knowing. 

"  I  understand,"  he  said,  with  a  nod ;  "  three  people  with  six 
sets  of  ears — is  it  not  so,  Miles  ?" 

"  Precisely ;  though  you  only  do  them  credit  by  halves,  for 
you  should  have  added  to  this  inventory  forty  tongues." 

"  Well,  that  is  a  large  supply.  The  man,  or  woman,  who  is 
so  well  provided,  should  carry  plenty  of  ballast.  However,  as 
you  say,  they're  out  of  hail  now,  and  must  guess  at  all  they  re 
peat,  if  repeating  it  can  be  called." 

"  Quite  as  much  as  nine  tenths  of  what  they  give  as  coming 
from  others,"  observed  Talcott.  "  People  never  can  tell  so  much 
of  other  person's  affairs,  without  bailing  out  most  of  their  ideas 
from  their  own  scuttle-butts." 

"  Well,  let  them  go  to — Bordeaux,"  said  I,  "  since  they  are 
bound  there.  And  now,  my  dear  Marble,  here  we  are,  and 
dying  to  know  all  that  has  happened  to  you.  You  have  firm 
friends  in  Talcott  and  myself;  either  of  us  ready  to  give  you 
his  berth  for  the  asking." 


454  AFLOAl      AND      ASHORE. 

"  Thank  'ee,  my  dear  boys — thank  'ee,  with  all  my  heart  and 
soul,"  returned  the  honest  fellow,  dashing  the  moisture  from  his 
ayes,  with  the  back  of  his  hand.  "  I  believe  you  would,  boys  ; 
I  do  believe  you  would,  one  or  both.  I  am  glad,  Miles,  you 
came  up  into  this  bloody  top,  for  I  wouldn't  like  to  let  your 
reg'lar  'long-shore  harpies  see  a  man  of  my  time  of  life,  and  one 
that  has  been  to  sea,  now,  man  and  boy,  close  on  to  forty  years, 
with  as  much  blubber  about  him  as  one  of  your  right  whales. 
Well — and  now  for  the  log ;  for  I  suppose  you'll  insist  on  over 
hauling  it,  lads." 

"  That  we  shall ;  and  see  you  miss  no  leaf  of  it.  Be  as  par 
ticular  as  if  it  were  overhauled  in  an  insurance  case." 

"  Ay ;  they're  bloody  knaves,  sometimes,  them  underwriters, 
and  a  fellow  need  be  careful  to  get  his  dues  out  of  them — that 
is  to  say  some  ;  others,  ag'in,  are  gentlemen  down  to  their  shoe- 
buckles,  and  no  sooner  see  a  poor  shipwrecked  devil,  than  they 
open  their  tills,  and  begin  to  count  out  before  he  has  opened 
his  mouth." 

"  Well,  but  your  own  adventures,  my  old  friend ;  you  forget 
we  are  dying  with  curiosity." 

"  Ay ;  your  cur'osity's  a  troublesome  inmate,  and  will  never 
be  quiet  as  long  as  one  tries  to  keep  it  under  hatches ;  especially 
female  cur'osity.  Well,  I  must  gratify  you,  and  so  I'll  make  no 
more  bones  about  it,  though  it's  giving  an  account  of  my  own 
obstinacy  and  folly.  I  reckon,  now,  my  boys,  you  missed  me 
the  day  the  ship  sailed  from  the  island  ?" 

"  That  we  did,  and  supposed  you  had  got  tired  of  your  ex 
periment  before  it  began,"  I  answered,  "  so  were  off,  before  we 
were  ourselves." 

"  You  had  reason  for  so  thinking,  though  you  were  out  in 
your  reckoning,  too.  No — it  happened  in  this  fashion.  After 
you  left  me  I  began  to  generalize  over  my  sitiation,  and  I  says 
to  myself,  says  I,  '  Moses  Marble,  them  lads  will  never  consent 
to  sail  and  leave  you  here  on  this  island,  alone,  like  a  bloody 
hermit,'  says  I.  '  If  you  want  to  hold  on,'  says  I,  '  and  try 
your  hand  at  a  hermitage,'  says  I, '  or  to  play  Robinson  Crusoe,' 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  455 

says  I,  '  you  must  be  out  of  the  way  when  the  Crisis  sails' — 
boys,  what's  become  of  the  old  ship  ?  Not  a  word  have  I  heard 
about  her,  yet !" 

"  She  was  loading  for  London  when  we  sailed,  her  owners  in 
tending  to  send  her  the  same  voyage  over  again." 

"  And  they  refused  to  let  you  have  her,  Miles,  on  account  of 
your  youth,  notwithstanding  all  you  did  for  them  ?" 

"  Not  so ;  they  pressed  me  to  keep  her,  but  I  preferred  a  ship 
of  my  own.  The  Dawn  is  my  property,  Master  Moses !" 

"  Thank  God !  then  there  is  one  honest  chap  among  the  own 
ers.  And  how  did  she  behave  ?  Had  you  any  trouble  with  the 
pirates  ?" 

Perceiving  the  utter  uselessness  of  attempting  to  hear  his 
own  story  before  I  rendered  an  account  of  the  Crisis  and  her 
exploits,  I  gave  Marble  a  history  of  her  voyage  from  the  time 
we  paited  down  to  the  day  we  reached  New  York. 

"  And  that  scaramouch  of  a  schooner  that  the  Frenchman 
gave  us  in  his  charity  ?" 

"  The  Pretty  Poll  ?  She  got  home  safe,  was  sold,  and  is  now 
in  the  West  India  trade.  There  is  a  handsome  balance,  amount 
ing  to  some  fourteen  hundred  dollars,  in  the  owners'  hands, 
coming  to  you  from  prize  money  and  wages." 

It  is  not  in  nature  for  any  man  to  be  sorry  he  has  money.  I 
SAW  by  Marble's  eyes  that  this  sum,  so  unusually  large  for  him  to 
possess,  formed  a  new  tie  to  the  world,  and  that  he  fancied  him 
self  a  much  happier  man  in  possessing  it.  He  looked  at  me 
earnestly  for  quite  a  minute,  and  then  remarked,  I  make  no 
doubt  with  sincere  regret — 

"Miles,  if  I  had  a  mother  living,  now,  that  money  might 
make  her  old  age  comfortable !  It  seems  that  they  who  have 
no  mothers  have  money,  and  they  who  have  no  money  have 
mothers." 

I  waited  a  moment  for  Marble  to  recover  his  self-command, 
and  then  urged  him  to  continue  his  story. 

"  I  was  telling  you  how  I  generalized  over  my  sitiation,"  re 
sumed  the  ex-mate,  "as  soon  as  I  found  myself  alone  in  the  hut. 


456  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  I  should  be  carried  off  by  force, 
if  I  remained  till  next  day ;  and  so  I  got  into  the  launch,  car 
ried  her  out  of  the  lagoon,  taking  care  to  give  the  ship  a  berth, 
went  through  the  reef,  and  kept  turning  to  windward  until  day 
break.  By  that  time  the  island  was  quite  out  of  sight,  though 
I  saw  the  upper  sails  of  the  ship  as  soon  as  you  got  her  under 
way.  I  kept  the  topgallant-sails  in  sight,  until  I  made  the 
island  again ;  and  as  you  went  off  I  ran  in  and  took  possession 
of  my  dominions,  with  no  one  to  dispute  my  will,  or  to  try  to 
reason  me  out  of  my  consait." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  term  that  notion  a  conceit,  for,  cer 
tainly,  it  was  not  reason.  You  soon  discovered  your  mistake, 
my  old  messmate,  and  began  to  think  of  home." 

"  I  soon  discovered,  Miles,  that  if  I  had  neither  father  nor 
mother,  brother  nor  sister,  that  I  had  a  country  and  friends. 
The  bit  of  marble  on  which  I  was  found  in  the  stonecutter's 
yard,  then  seemed  as  dear  to  me  as  a  gold  cradle  is  to  a  king's 
son ;  and  I  thought  of  you,  and  all  the  rest  of  you — nay,  I 
yearned  after  you,  as  a  mother  would  yearn  for  her  children." 

"  Poor  fellow,  you  were  solitary  enough,  I  dare  say ;  had  you 
no  amusement  with  your  pigs  and  poultry  ?" 

"  For  a  day  or  two  they  kept  me  pretty  busy.  But  by  the 
end  of  a  week  I  discovered  that  pigs  and  poultry  were  not  made 
to  keep  company  with  man.  I  had  consaited  that  I  could  pass 
the  rest  of  my  days  in  the  bosom  of  my  own  family,  like  any 
other  man  who  had  made  his  fortune  and  retired,  but  I  found 
my  household  too  small  for  such  a  life  as  that.  My  great  mis 
take  was  in  supposing  that  the  Marble  family  could  be  happy  in 
its  own  circle." 

This  was  said  bitterly,  though  it  was  said  drolly,  and  while  it 
made  Talcott  and  myself  laugh,  it  also  made  us  sorry. 

"  I  fell  into  another  mistake,  however,  boys,"  Marble  con 
tinued,  "  and  it  might  as  well  be  owned.  I  took  it  into  my 
head  that  I  should  be  all  alone  on  the  island,  but  I  found,  to 
my  cost,  that  the  devil  insisted  on  having  his  share.  I'll  tell 
you  how  it  is,  Miles,  a  man  must  either  look  ahead  or  look 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  457 

astarn ;  there  is  no  such  thing  as  satisfying  himself  with  the 
present  moorings.  Now  this  was  my  misfortune,  for  ahead  1 
had  nothing  to  look  forward  to,  and  astarn  what  comfort  had  1 
in  overhauling  past  sins  ?" 

"  I  think  I  can  understand  your  difficulties,  my  friend  ;  how 
did  you  manage  to  get  rid  of  them  ?" 

"  I  left  the  island.  You  had  put  the  Frenchman's  launch  in 
capital  condition,  and  all  I  had  to  do  was  to  fill  up  the  breakers 
with  fresh  water,  kill  a  hog  and  salt  him  away,  put  on  board  a 
quantity  of  biscuit,  and  be  off.  As  for  eatables,  you  know  there 
was  no  scarcity  on  the  island,  and  I  took  my  choice.  I  make 
no  doubt  there  are  twenty  hogsheads  of  undamaged  sugars  at 
this  very  moment  in  the  hold  of  that  wreck  and  on  the  beach  of 
the  island.  I  fed  my  poultry  on  it  the  whole  time  I  staid." 

"  And  so  you  abandoned  Marble  Land  to  the  pigs  and  the 
fowls  ?" 

"  I  did,  indeed,  Miles,  and  I  hope  the  poor  creatures  will  have 
a  comfortable  time  of  it.  I  gave  'em  what  the  lawyers  call  a 
quit-claim,  and  sailed  two  months  to  a  day  after  you  went  off  in 
the  Crisis." 

"  I  should  think,  old  shipmate,  that  your  voyage  must  have 
been  as  solitary  and  desperate  as  your  life  ashore." 

"  I'm  amazed  to  hear  you  say  that.  I'm  never  solitary  at  sea, 
one  has  so  much  to  do  in  taking  care  of  his  craft,  and  then  he 
can  always  look  forward  to  the  day  he'll  get  in.  But  this  gen 
eralizing,  night  and  day,  without  any  port  ahead,  and  little  com 
fort  in  looking  astarn,  will  soon  fit  a  man  for  Bedlam.  I  just 
weathered  Cape  Crazy,  I  can  tell  you,  lads,  and  that  too  in  the 
white  water !  As  for  my  v'y'ge  being  desperate,  what  was  there 
to  make  it  so,  I  should  like  to  know  ?" 

"  You  must  have  been  twelve  or  fifteen  hundred  miles  from 
any  island  where  you  could  look  forward  to  any  thing  like  safety, 
and  that  is  a  distance  one  would  rather  not  travel  all  alone  on 
the  high  seas." 

"  Pshaw !  all  consait.  You're  getting  notional,  Miles,  now 
you're  a  master  and  owner.  What's  a  run  of  a  thousand  or  fif- 
20 


458  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

teen  hundred  miles,  in  a  tight  boat,  and  with  plenty  of  grub  and 
water  ?  It  was  the  easiest  matter  in  the  world,  and  if  it  warn't 
for  that  bloody  Cape  Horn,  I  should  have  made  as  straight  a 
wake  for  Coenties'  Slip  as  the  trending  of  the  land  would  have 
allowed.  As  it  was,  I  turned  to  windward,  for  I  knew  the  sav 
ages  to  leeward  weren't  to  be  trusted.  You  see  it  was  as  easy 
as  working  out  a  day's  work.  I  kept  the  boat  on  a  wind  all 
day,  and  long  bits  of  the  night  too,  until  I  wanted  sleep,  and 
then  I  hove  her  to  under  a  reefed  mainsail,  and  slept  as  sound 
as  a  lord.  I  hadn't  an  uncomfortable  moment  after  I  got  out 
side  of  the  reef  again,  and  the  happiest  hour  of  my  life  was  that 
in  which  I  saw  the  tree  tops  of  the  island  dip." 

"  And  how  long  were  you  navigating  in  this  manner,  and 
what  land  did  you  first  make  ?" 

"Seven  weeks,  though  I  made  half  a  dozen  islands,  every  one 
of  them  just  such  a  looking  object  as  that  I  had  left.  You 
weren't  about  to  catch  me  ashore  again  in  any  of  them  misera 
ble  places !  I  gave  the  old  boat  a  slap,  and  promised  to  stick  by 
her  as  long  as  she  would  stick  by  me,  and  I  kept  my  word.  I 
saw  savages,  moreover,  on  one  or  two  of  the  islands,  and  gave 
them  a  berth,  having  no  fancy  for  being  barbacued." 

"  And  where  did  you  finally  make  your  landfall." 

"Nowhere,  so  far  as  the  launch  was  concerned.  I  fell  in 
with  a  Manilla  ship,  bound  to  Valparaiso,  and  got  on  board 
her;  and  sorry  enough  was  I  for  the  change,  when  I  came  to 
find  out  how  they  lived.  The  captain  took  me  in,  however,  and 
I  worked  my  passage  into  port.  Finding  no  ship  likely  to  sail 
soon,  I  entered  with  a  native  who  was  about  to  cross  the  Andes, 
bound  over  on  this  side,  for  the  east  coast.  Don't  you  remem 
ber,  Miles,  monsters  of  mountains  that  we  could  see,  a  bit  in 
land,  and  covered  with  snow,  all  along  the  west  side  of  South 
America  ?  You  must  remember  the  chaps  I  mean." 

"  Certainly — they  are  much  too  plain,  and  objects  much  too 
striking,  ever  to  be  forgotten,  when  once  seen." 

"  Well,  them's  the  Andes  ;  and  rough  customers  they  be,  let 
me  tell  you,  boys.  You  know  there  is  little  amusement  in  a 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  459 

sailor's  walking  on  the  levellest  'arth  and  handsomest  highways, 
on  account  of  the  bloody  ups  and  downs  a  fellow  meets  with ; 
and  so  you  may  get  some  idee  of  the  time  we  had  of  it,  when  I 
tell  you,  had  all  the  seas  we  saw  in  the  last  blow  been  piled  on 
top  of  each  other,  they  would  have  made  but  a  large  pancake, 
compared  to  them  'ere  Andes.  Natur'  must  have  outdone  her 
self  in  making  'em ;  and  when  they  were  thrown  together,  what 
good  comes  of  it  all  ?  Such  mountains  might  be  of  some  use  in 
keeping  the  French  and  English  apart ;  but  you  leave  nothing 
but  bloody  Spaniards  on  one  side  of  them  Andes,  and  find 
bloody  Spaniards  and  Portugeese  on  the  other.  However,  we 
found  our  way  over  them,  and  brought  up  at  a  place  called 
Buenos  Ayres,  from  which  I  worked  my  passage  round  to  Rio 
in  a  coaster.  At  Rio,  you  know,  I  felt  quite  at  home,  having 
stopped  in  there  often,  in  going  backward  and  forward." 

"  And  thence  you  took  passage  in  the  Dundee  for  London,  in 
tending  to  get  a  passage  home  by  the  first  opportunity  ?" 

"  It  needs  no  witch  to  tell  that.  I  had  to  scull  about  Rio  for 
several  months  doing  odd  jobs  as  a  rigger,  and  the  like  of  that, 
until,  finding  no  Yankee  came  in,  I  got  a  passage  in  a  Scotch 
man.  I'll  not  complain  of  Sawney,  who  was  kind  enough  to  me 
as  a  shipwrecked  mariner ;  for  that  was  the  character  I  sailed 
under,  hermits  being  no  way  fashionable  among  us  Protestants, 
though  it's  very  different  among  them  Catholic  chaps,  1  can  tell 
you.  I  happened  to  mention  to  a  landlady  on  the  road,  that  I 
was  a  sort  of  a  hermit  on  his  travels ;  when  I  thought  the  poor 
woman  would  have  gone  down  on  her  knees  and  worshipped 
me." 

Here  then  was  the  history  of  Moses  Marble,  and  the  end  of 
the  colony  of  Marble  Land,  pigs  and  poultry  excepted.  It  was 
now  my  turn  to  be  examined.  I  had  to  answer  fifty  curious  in 
quiries,  some  of  which  I  found  sufficiently  embarrassing.  When, 
in  answer  to  his  interrogatories,  Marble  learned  that  the  major 
and  Miss  Merton  had  actually  been  left  at  Clawbonny,  I  saw  the 
ex-mate  wink  at  Talcott,  who  smiled  in  reply.  Then,  where  was 
Rupert,  and  how  came  on  the  law  ?  The  farm  and  mills  were 


460  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

not  forgotten ;  and,  as  for  Neb,  he  was  actually  ordered  up  into 
the  top,  in  order  that  there  might  be  another  shake  of  the  hand, 
and  that  he  might  answer  for  himself.  In  a  word,  nothing  could 
be  more  apparent  than  the  delight  of  Marble  at  finding  himself 
among  us  once  more.  I  believed  even  then,  that  the  man 
really  loved  me ;  and  the  reader  will  remember  how  long  we  had 
sailed  together,  and  how  much  we  had  seen  in  company.  More 
than  once  did  my  old  shipmate  dash  the  tears  from  his  eyes,  as 
he  spoke  of  his  satisfaction. 

"  I  say,  Miles — I  say,  Roger,"  he  cried — "  this  is  like  being  at 
home,  and  none  of  your  bloody  hermitages !  Blast  me,  if  I  think, 
now,  I  should  dare  pass  through  a  wood  all  alone.  I'm  never 
satisfied  unless  I  see  a  fellow-creatur',  for  fear  of  being  left.  I 
did  pretty  well  with  the  Scotchman,  who  has  a  heart,  though  it's 
stowed  away  in  oatmeal,  but  this  is  home.  I  must  ship  as  your 
steward,  Miles,  for  hang  on  to  you  I  will." 

"  If  we  ever  part,  again,  until  one  or  both  go  into  dock,  it  will 
be  your  fault,  my  old  friend.  If  I  have  thought  of  you  once, 
since  we  parted,  I  have  dreamed  of  you  fifty  times !  Talcott  and 
I  were  talking  of  you  in  the  late  gale,  and  wondering  what  sail 
you  would  advise  us  to  put  the  ship  under." 

"  The  old  lessons  have  not  all  been  forgotten,  boys ;  it  was 
easy  enough  to  see  that.  I  said  to  myself,  as  you  stood  down 
upon  us, '  that  chap  has  a  real  sea-dog  aboard,  as  is  plain  by  the 
manner  in  which  he  has  every  thing  snug,  while  he  walks  ahead 
like  an  owner  in  a  hurry  to  be  first  in  the  market.' " 

It  was  then  agreed  Marble  should  keep  a  watch,  whenever  it 
suited  him,  and  that  he  should  do  just  as  he  pleased  aboard. 
At  some  future  day,  some  other  arrangement  might  be  made, 
though  he  declared  his  intention  to  stick  by  the  ship,  and  also 
announced  a  determination  to  be  my  first  mate  for  life,  as  soon 
as  Talcott  got  a  vessel,  as  doubtless  he  would,  through  the  in 
fluence  of  his  friends,  as  soon  as  he  returned  home.  I  laughed 
at  all  this,  though  I  bade  him  heartily  welcome,  and  then  I  nick 
named  him  commodore,  adding  that  he  should  sail  with  me  in 
that  capacity,  doing  just  as  much  and  just  as  little  duty  as  he 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  461 

pleased.  As  for  money,  there  was  a  bag  of  dollars  in  the  cabin, 
and  he  had  only  to  put  his  hand  in,  and  take  what  he  wanted. 
The  key  of  the  locker  was  in  my  pocket,  and  could  be  had  for 
asking.  Nobody  was  more  delighted  with  this  arrangement  than 
Neb,  who  had  even  taken  a  fancy  to  Marble,  from  the  moment 
when  the  latter  led  him  up  from  the  steerage  of  the  John,  by 
the  ear. 

"  I  say,  Miles,  what  sort  of  bloody  animals  are  them  passen 
gers  of  yours  ?"  Marble  next  demanded,  looking  over  the  rim  of 
the  top,  down  at  the  trio  on  deck,  with  a  good  deal  of  curiosity 
expressed  in  his  countenance.  "  This  is  the  first  time  I  ever 
knew  a  shipmaster  driven  aloft  by  his  passengers,  in  order  to 
talk  secrets !"  - 

"  That  is  because  you  never  sailed  with  the  Brigham  family, 
my  friend.  They'll  pump  you  till  you  suck,  in  the  first  twenty- 
four  hours,  rely  on  it.  They'll  get  every  fact  about  your  birth, 
the  island  where  you  first  saw  me,  what  you  have  been  about, 
and  what  you  mean  to  do ;  in  a  word,  the  past,  present,  and 
future." 

"  Leave  me  to  overlay  their  cur'osity,"  answered  the  ex-mate, 
or  new  commodore — "  I  got  my  hand  in,  by  boarding  six  weeks 
with  a  Connecticut  old  maid,  once,  and  I'll  defy  the  keenest 
questioner  of  them  all." 

We  had  a  little  more  discourse,  when  we  all  went  below,  and 
I  introduced  Marble  to  my  passengers,  as  one  who  was  to  join 
our  mess.  After  this,  things  went  on  in  their  usual  train.  In 
the  course  of  the  day,  however,  I  overheard  the  following  brief 
dialogue  between  Brigham  and  Marble,  the  ladies  being  much 
too  delicate  to  question  so  rough  a  mariner. 

"You  caine  on  board  of  us  somewhat  unexpectedly,  I  rather 
conclude,  Captain  Marble  ?"  commenced  the  gentleman. 

"  Not  in  the  least ;  I  have  been  expecting  to  meet  the  Dawn, 
just  about  this  spot,  more  than  a  month,  now." 

"  Well,  that  is  odd  !  I  do  not  comprehend  how  such  a  thing 
could  well  be  foreseen  ?" 

"Do  you  understand  spherical  trigonometry,  sir?" 


402  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

"  I  cannot  say  I  am  at  all  expert — I've  looked  into  mathe 
matics,  but  have  no  great  turn  for  the  study." 

"  It  would  be  hopeless,  then,  to  attempt  to  explain  the  mat 
ter.  If  you  had  your  hand  in  at  the  spherical,  I  could  make  it 
all  as  plain  as  the  capstan." 

"  You  and  Captain  Wallingford  must  be  somewhat  old  ac 
quaintances,  I  conclude  ?" 

"  Somewhat,"  answered  Marble,  very  dryly. 

"  Have  you  ever  been  at  the  place  that  he  calls  Clawbonny  ? 
A  queer  name,  I  rather  think,  captain !" 

"  Not  at  all,  sir.  I  know  a  place,  down  in  the  Eastern  States, 
that  was  called  Scratch  and  Claw,  and  a  very  pretty  spot  it 
was." 

"  It's  tiot  usual  for  us  to  the  eastward,  to  give  names  to  farms 
and  places.  It  is  done  a  little  by  the  Boston  folk,  but  they  are 
notional,  as  everybody  knows." 

"  Exactly ;  I  suppose  it  was  for  want  of  use,  the  chap  I  mean 
made  out  no  better  in  naming  his  place." 

Mr.  Brigham  was  no  fool ;  he  was  merely  a  gossip.  He  took 
the  hint,  and  asked  no  more  questions  of  Marble.  He  tried 
Neb,  notwithstanding ;  but  the  black  having  his  orders,  obeyed 
them  so  literally,  that  I  really  believe  we  parted  in  Bordeaux,  a 
fortnight  later,  without  any  of  the  family's  making  the  least  dis 
covery.  Glad  enough  was  I  to  get  rid  of  them  ;  yet,  brief  as 
had  been  our  intercourse,  they  produced  a  sensible  influence  on 
my  future  happiness.  Such  is "  the  evil  of  this  habit  of  loose 
talking,  men  giving  credit  to  words  conceived  in  ignorance  and 
uttered  in  the  indulgence  of  one  of  the  most  contemptible  of 
all  our  propensities.  To  return  to  my  ship. 

We  reached  Bordeaux  without  any  further  accident  or  delay. 
I  discharged  in  the  usual  way,  and  began  to  look  about  me,  for 
another  freight.  It  had  been  my  intention  to  return  to  New 
York,  and  to  keep  the  festivities  of  attaining  my  majority,  at 
Clawbonny ;  but,  I  confess,  the  discourse  of  these  eternal  gos 
sips,  the  Brighams,  had  greatly  lessened  the  desire  to  see  home 
again,  so  soon.  A  freight  for  New  York  was  offered  me,  but  I 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  463 

postponed  an  answer,  until  it  was  given  to  another  ship.  At 
length  an  offer  was  made  to  me  to  go  to  Cron.stadt,  in  Russia, 
with  a  cargo  of  wines  and  brandies,  and  I  accepted  it.  The 
great  and  better  informed  merchants,  as  it  would  seem,  distrusted 
the  continuance  of  the  hollow  peace  that  then  existed,  and  a 
company  of  them  thought  it  might  be  well  to  transfer  their 
liquors  to  the  capital  of  the  czar,  in  readiness  for  contingencies. 
An  American  ship  was  preferred,  on  account  of  her  greater  speed, 
as  well  as  on  account  of  her  probable  neutral  character,  in  the 
event  of  troubles  occurring  at  any  unlooked-for  moment. 

The  Dawn  took  in  her  wines  and  brandies  accordingly,  and 
sailed  for  the  Baltic  about  the  last  of  August.  She  had  a  long, 
but  a  safe  passage,  delivering  the  freight  according  to  the  char 
ter-party,  in  good  condition.  While  at  Cronstadt,  the  Ameri 
can  consul,  and  the  consignees  of  an  American  ship  that  had 
lost  her  master  and  chief  mate  by  the  small-pox,  applied  to  me 
to  let  Marble  carry  the  vessel  home.  I  pressed  the  offer  on 
my  old  friend,  but  he  obstinately  refused  to  have  any  thing  to 
do  with  the  vessel.  I  then  recommended  Talcott,  and  after 
some  negotiation,  the  latter  took  charge  of  the  Hyperion.  I 
was  sorry  to  part  with  my  mate,  to  whom  I  had  become  strongly 
attached ;  but  the  preferment  was  so  clearly  to  his  advantage, 
that  I  could  take  no  other  course.  The  vessel  being  ready,  she 
sailed  the  day  after  Talcott  joined  her ;  and,  sorry  am  I  to  be 
compelled  to  add,  that  she  was  never  heard  of,  after  clearing  the 
Cattegat.  The  equinox  of  that  season  was  tremendously  severe, 
and  it  caused  the  loss  of  many  vessels ;  that  of  the  Hyperion 
doubtless  among  the  rest. 

Marble  insisted  on  taking  Talcott's  place,  and  he  now  became 
my  chief  mate,  as  I  had  once  been  his.  After  a  little  delay,  I 
took  in  freight  on  Russian  government  account,  and  sailed  for 
Odessa.  It  was  thought  the  Sublime  Porte  would  let  an  Ameri 
can  through  ;  but,  after  reaching  the  Dardanelles,  I  was  ordered 
back,  and  was  obliged  to  leave  my  cargo  in  Malta,  which  it  was 
expected  would  be  in  possession  of  its  own  knights  by  that  time, 
agreeably  to  the  terms  of  the  late  treaty.  From  Malta  I  sailed 


464  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

fur  Leghorn,  in  quest  of  another  freight.  I  pass  over  the 
details  of  these  voyages,  as  really  nothing  worthy  of  being  re 
corded  occurred.  They  consumed  a  good  deal  of  time ;  the 
delay  at  the  Dardanelles  alone  exceeding  six  weeks,  during 
which  negotiations  were  going  on  up  at  Constantinople,  but  all 
in  vain.  In  consequence  of  all  these  detentions,  and  the  length 
of  the  passages,  I  did  not  reach  Leghorn  until  near  the  close  of 
March.  I  wrote  to  Grace  and  Mr.  Hardinge,  whenever  a  favor 
able  occasion  offered,  but  I  did  not  get  a  letter  from  home,  dur 
ing  the  whole  period.  It  was  not  in  the  power  of  my  sister  or 
guardian — late  guardian  would  be  the  most  accurate  expression, 
as  I  had  been  of  age  since  the  previous  October — to  write,  it 
being  impossible  for  me  to  let  them  know  when,  or  where,  a 
letter  would  find  me.  It  followed,  that  while  my  friends  at 
home  were  kept  tolerably  apprised  of  my  movements,  I  was 
absolutely  in  the  dark  as  respected  them.  That  this  ignorance 
gave  me  great  concern,  it  would  be  idle  to  deny ;  yet,  I  had  a 
species  of  desperate  satisfaction  in  keeping  aloof,  and  in  leav 
ing  the  course  clear  to  Mr.  Andrew  Drewett.  As  respects  sub 
stantial  s,  I  had  sent  a  proper  power  of  attorney  to  Mr.  Hardinge, 
who,  I  doubted  not,  would  take  the  same  care  of  my  temporal 
interests  he  had  never  ceased  to  do  since  the  day  of  my  beloved 
mother's  death. 

Freights  were  not  offering  freely  at  Leghorn,  when  the  Dawn 
arrived.  After  waiting  a  fortnight,  however,  I  began  to  take  in 
for  America,  and  on  American  account.  In  the  mean  time,  the 
cargo  coming  to  hand  slowly,  I  left  Marble  to  receive  it,  and 
proceeded  on  a  little  excursion  in  Tuscany,  or  Etruria,  as  that 
part  of  the  world  was  then  called.  I  visited  Pisa,  Lucca,  Flor 
ence,  and  several  other  intermediate  towns.  At  Florence,  1 
passed  a  week  looking  at  sights,  and  amusing  myself  the  best 
way  I  could.  The  gallery  and  the  churches  kept  me  pretty 
busy,  and  the  reader  will  judge  of  my  surprise  one  day,  at  hear 
ing  my  own  name  uttered  on  a  pretty  high  key,  by  a  female 
voice,  in  the  Duorno,  or  Cathedral  of  the  place.  On  turning,  I 
found  myself  in  the  presence  of  the  Brighams !  I  was  over- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  465 

whelmed  with  questions  in  a  minute.  Where  had  I  been  ? 
Where  was  Talcott  ?  Where  was  the  ship  ?  When  did  I  sail, 
and  whither  did  I  sail  ?  After  this  came  the  communications. 
They  had  been  to  Paris ;  had  seen  the  French  Consul,  and  had 
dined  with  Mr.  R.  N.  Livingston,  then  negotiating  the  treaty  of 
Louisiana ;  had  seen  the  Louvre ;  had  been  to  Geneva,  had  seen 
the  Lake ;  had  seen  Mont  Blanc ;  had  crossed  Mont  Cenis ;  had 
been  at  Milan ;  Rome  ;  had  seen  the  Pope ;  Naples  ;  had  seen 
Vesuvius ;  had  been  at  Paestum  ;  had  come  back  to  Florence, 
and  nous  void!  Glad  enough  was  I,  when  I  got  them  fairly 
within  the  gates  of  the  city  of  the  Lily.  Next  came  America ; 
from  which  part  of  the  world  they  received  such  delightful  let 
ters  !  One  from  Mrs.  Jonathan  Little,  a  Salem  lady  then  resid 
ing  in  New  York,  had  just  reached  them.  It  contained  four 
sheets,  and  was  full  of  news.  Then  commenced  the  details; 
and  I  was  compelled  to  listen  to  a  string  of  gossip  that  con 
nected  nearly  all  the  people  of  mark,  my  informants  had  ever 
heard  of  in  the  great  Commercial  Emporium  that  was  to  be. 
How  suitable  is  this  name !  Emporium  would  not  have  been 
sufficiently  distinctive  for  a  town  in  which  "  the  merchants"  are 
all  in  all ;  in  which  they  must  have  the  post  office ;  in  which 
they  support  the  nation  by  paying  all  the  revenue ;  in  which 
the  sun  must  shine  and  the  dew  fall  to  suit  their  wants ;  and  in 
which  the  winds,  themselves,  may  be  recreant  to  th.eir  duty, 
when  they  happen  to  be  foul !  Like  the  Holy  Catholic  Prot 
estant  Episcopal  Church,  Trading  Commercial  Trafficking  Em 
porium  should  have  been  the  style  of  such  a  place ;  and  I  hope, 
ere  long,  some  of  the  "  Manor  Born"  genii  of  that  great  town 
will  see  the  matter  rectified. 

"  By  the  way,  Captain  Wallingford,"  cut  in  Jane,  at  one  of 
Sarah's  breathing  intervals,  that  reminded  me  strongly  of  the 
colloquial  Frenchman's  "  s'il  crache  il  est  perdu"  "  you  know 
something  of  poor  Mrs.  Bradfort,  I  believe  ?" 

I  assented  by  a  bow. 

"  It  was  just  as  we  told  you,"  cried  Sarah,  taking  her  revenge. 
"  The   poor  woman  is  dead !   and,  no   doubt,  of  that  cancer. 
20* 


466  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

What  a  frightful  disease !   and  how  accurate  has  our  informa 
tion  been  in  all  that  affair  !" 

"  I  think  her  will  the  most  extraordinary  of  all,"  added  Mr. 
Brigham,  who,  as  a  man,  kept  an  eye  more  to  the  main  chance. 
"  I  suppose  you  have  heard  all  about  her  will,  Captain  Walling- 
ford  ?" 

I  reminded  the  gentleman  that  this  was  the  first  I  had  ever 
heard  of  the  lady's  death. 

"  She  has  left  every  dollar  to  young  Mr.  Hardinge,  her  cous 
in's  son,"  added  Jane,  "  cutting  off  that  handsome,  genteel  young 
lady,  his  sister,  as  well  as  her  father,  without  a  cent" — in  1803, 
they  just  began  to  speak  of  cents,  instead  of  farthings — "  and 
everybody  says  it  was  so  cruel !" 

"  That  is  not  the  worst  of  it,"  put  in  Sarah.  "  They  do  say, 
Miss  Merton,  the  English  lady  that  made  so  much  noise  in  New 
York — let  me  see,  Mr.  Brigham,  what  earl's  grand-daughter 
did  we  hear  she  was  ?" 

This  was  a  most  injudicious  question,  as  it  gave  the  husband 
an  opportunity  to  take  the  word  out  of  her  mouth. 

"  Lord  Cumberland's,  I  believe,  or  some  such  person  ;  but  no 
matter  whose.  It  is  quite  certain  General  Merton,  her  father, 
consents  to  let  her  marry  young  Mr.  llardinge,  now  Mrs.  Brad- 
fort's  will  is  known ;  and,  as  for  the  sister,  he  declares  he  will 
never  give  her  a  dollar." 

li  He  will  have  sixteen  thousand  dollars  a  year,"  said  Jane, 
with  emphasis. 

"  Six,  my  dear,  six"  returned  the  brother,  who  had  reason 
ably  accurate  notions  touching  dollars  and  cents,  or  he  never 
would  have  been  travelling  in  Italy ;  "  six  thousand  dollars  a 
year  was  just  Mrs.  Bradfort's  income,  as  my  old  school-follow 
Upham  told  me,  and  there  isn't  another  man  in  York  who  can 
toll  fortunes  as  true  as  himself.  He  makes  a  business  of  it,  and 
don't  fail  one  time  in  twenty." 

"  And  is  it  quite  certain  that  Mr.  Rupert  Hardinge  gets  all 
the  fortune  of  Mrs.  Bradfort  ?"  I  asked,  with  a  strong  effort  to 
seem  composed. 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  467 

"  Not  the  least  doubt  of  it  in  the  world.  Everybody  is  talk 
ing  about  it ;  and  there  cannot  well  be  a  mistake,  you  know,  as 
it  was  thought  the  sister  would  be  an  heiress,  and  people  gen 
erally  take  care  to  be  pretty  certain  about  that  class.  But,  of 
course,  a  young  man  of  that  fortune  will  be  snapped  up,  as  a 
swallow  catches  a  fly.  I've  bet  Sarah  a  pair  of  gloves  we  hear 
of  his  marriage  in  three  months." 

The  Brighams  talked  an  hour  longer,  and  made  me  promise 
to  visit  them  at  their  hotel,  a  place  I  could  not  succeed  in  find 
ing.  That  evening  I  left  Florence  for  Leghorn,  writing  a  note 
of  apology,  in  order  not  to  be  rude.  Of  course,  I  did  not  be 
lieve  half  these  people  had  told  me ;  but  a  part,  I  made  no 
doubt,  was  true.  Mrs.  Bradfort  was  dead,  out  of  all  question ; 
and  I  thought  it  possible  she  might  not  so  far  have  learned 
to  distinguish  between  the  merit  of  Lucy,  and  that  of  Rupert, 
to  leave  her  entire  fortune  to  the  last.  As  for  the  declaration 
of  the  brother  that  he  would  give  his  sister  nothing,  that  seemed 
to  me  to  be  rather  strong  even  for  Rupert.  I  knew  the  deal 
girl  too  well,  and  was  certain  she  would  not  repine ;  and  I  was 
burning  with  the  desire  to  be  in  the  field,  now  she  was  again 
penniless. 

What  a  change  was  this !  Here  were  the  Hardinges,  those 
whom  I  had  known  as  poor  almost  as  dependants  on  my  own 
family,  suddenly  enriched.  I  knew  Mrs.  Bradfort  had  a  large 
six  thousand  a  year  besides  her  own  dwelling-house,  which  stood 
in  Wall  street,  a  part  of  the  commercial  emporium  that  was  just 
beginning  to  be  the  focus  of  banking,  and  all  other  moneyed 
operations,  and  which  even  then  promised  to  become  a  fortune 
of  itself.  It  is  true,  that  old  Daniel  M'Cormick  still  held  his 
levees  on  his  venerable  stoop,  where  all  the  heavy  men  in  town 
used  to  congregate,  and  joke,  and  buy  and  sell,  and  abuse  Boney ; 
and  that  the  Winthrops,  the  Wilkeses,  the  Jaunceys,  the  Ver- 
plancks,  the  Whites,  the  Ludlows,  and  other  families  of  mark, 
then  had  their  town  residences  in  this  well-known  street ;  but 
coming  events  were  beginning  "to  cast  their  shadows  before," 
and  it  was  easy  to  foresee  that  this  single  dwelling  might  at 


468  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

least  double  Rupert's  income,  under  the  rapid  increase  of  the 
country  and  the  town.  Though  Lucy  was  still  poor,  Rupert 
was  now  rich. 

If  family  connection,  that  all-important  and  magical  influence, 
could  make  so  broad  a  distinction  between  us,  while  I  was  com 
paratively  wealthy  and  Lucy  had  nothing,  what,  to  regard  the 
worst  side  of  the  picture,  might  I  not  expect  from  it  when  the 
golden  scale  preponderated  on  her  side  ?  That  Andrew  Drewett 
would  still  marry  her,  I  began  to  fear  again.  Well,  why  not  ? 
I  had  never  mentioned  love  to  the  sweet  girl,  fondly,  ardently 
as  I  was  attached  to  her ;  and  what  reason  had  I  for  supposing 
that  one  in  her  situation  could  reserve  her  affections  for  a  truant 
sailor?  I  am  afraid  I  was  unjust  enough  to  regret  that  this 
piece  of  good  fortune  should  have  befallen  Rupert.  He  must 
do  something  for  his  sister,  and  every  dollar  seemed  to  raise  a 
new  barrier  between  us. 

From  that  hour  I  was  all  impatience  to  get  home.  Had  not 
the  freight  been  engaged,  I  think  I  should  have  sailed  in  ballast. 
By  urging  the  merchants,  however,  we  got  to  sea  May  15th, 
with  a  full  cargo,  a  portion  of  which  I  had  purchased  on  my 
own  account,  with  the  money  earned  by  the  ship  within  the  last 
ten  months.  Nothing  occurred  worthy  of  notice  until  the  Dawn 
neared  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar.  Here  we  were  boarded  by  an 
English  frigate,  and  first  learned  the  declaration  of  a  new  war 
between  France  and  England ;  a  contest  that,  in  the  end,  in 
volved  in  it  all  the  rest  of  Christendom.  Hostilities  had  already 
commenced,  the  First  Consul  having  thrown  aside  the  mask  just 
three  days  after  we  left  port.  The  frigate  treated  us  well,  it  be 
ing  too  soon  for  the  abuses  that  followed,  and  we  got  through 
the  pass  without  further  molestation. 

As  soon  as  in  the  Atlantic  I  took  care  to  avoid  every  thing 
we  saw,  and  nothing  got  near  us  until  we  had  actually  made  the 
Highlands  of  Navesink.  An  English  sloop-of-war,  however,  had 
stood  into  the  angles  of  the  coast  formed  by  Long  Island  and 
the  Jersey  shore,  giving  us  a  race  for  the  Hook.  I  did  not 
know  whether  T  ought  to  be  afraid  of  this  cruiser  or  not,  but 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 


469 


fliy  mind  was  made  up  not  to  be  boarded  if  it  could  be  helped. 
We  succeeded  in  passing  ahead,  and  entered  the  Hook  while  he 
was  still  a  mile  outside  of  the  bar.  I  got  a  pilot  on  the  bar,  as 
was  then  very  usual,  and  stood  up  toward  the  town  with  stud 
ding-sails  set,  it  being  just  a  twelvemonth,  almost  to  an  hour, 
from  the  day  when  I  passed  up  the  bay  in  the  Crisis.  The  pilot 
took  the  ship  in  near  Coenties'  Slip,  Marble's  favorite  berth,  and 
we  had  her  secured  and  her  sails  unbent  before  the  sun  set. 


470  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORR. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

"With  look  like  patient  Job's,  eschewing  evfl; 
"With  motions  graceful  as  a  bird's  in  air; 
Thou  art,  in  sober  truth,  the  veriest  devil 
That  ero  clinched  fingers  in  a  captive's  hair." 

EUuJtCK. 

THERE  was  about  an  hour  of  daylight,  when  I  left  the  count 
ing-house  of  the  consignees,  and  pursued  my  way  up  Wall 
street,  to  Broadway.  I  was  on  my  way  to  the  City  Hotel, 
then,  as  now,  one  of  the  best  inns  of  the  town.  On  Trinity 
church  walk,  just  as  I  quitted  the  Wall  street  crossing,  whom 
should  I  come  plump  upon  in  turning,  but  Rupert  Hardinge  ? 
He  was  walking  down  the  street  in  some  little  haste,  and  was 
evidently  much  surprised,  perhaps  I  might  say  startled,  at  seeing 
me.  Nevertheless,  Rupert  was  not  easily  disconcerted,  and  his 
manner  at  once  became  warm,  if  not  entirely  free  from  embar 
rassment.  He  was  in  deep  mourning ;  though  otherwise  dressed 
in  the  height  of  the  fashion. 

"  Wallingford  !"  he  exclaimed — it  was  the  first  time  he  did 
not  call  me  "Miles" — "Wallingford!  my  fine  fellow,  what 
cloud  did  you  drop  from  ?  We  have  had  so  many  reports  con 
cerning  you,  that  your  appearance  is  as  much  a  matter  of  sur 
prise  as  would  be  that  of  Bonaparte,  himself.  Of  course  your 
ship  is  in  ?" 

"  Of  course,"  I  answered,  taking  his  offered  hand ;  "you  know 
I  am  wedded  to  her,  for  better,  for  worse,  until  death  or  ship 
wreck  doth  us  part." 

"  Ay,  so  I've  always  told  the  ladies — '  there  is  n*  other  mat 
rimony  in  Wallingford,'  I've  said  often,  '  than  that  which  will 
make  him  a  ship's  husband.'  But  you  look  confoundedly  well 
• — the  sea  agrees  with  you,  famously." 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  471 

"  I  make  no  complaint  of  my  health — but  tell  me  of  that  of 
our  Mends  and  families.  Your  father" — 

"  Is  up  at  Clawbonny,  just  now — you  know  how  it  is  with 
him.  No  change  of  circumstances  will  ever  make  him  regard 
his  little  smoke-house-looking  church  as  any  thing  but  a  cathe 
dral,  and  his  parish  as  a  diocese.  Since  the  great  change  in  our 
circumstances,  all  this  is  useless,  and  I  often  think — you  know 
one  wouldn't  like  to  say  as  much  to  him — but  I  often  think,  he 
might  just  as  well  give  up  preaching,  altogether." 

"  Well,  this  is  good,  so  far — now  for  the  rest  of  you,  ah1.  You 
meet  my  impatience  too  coldly." 

"  Yes,  you  were  always  an  impatient  fellow.  Why,  I  suppose 
you  need  hardly  be  told  that  I  have  been  admitted  to  the  bar." 

"  That  I  can  very  well  imagine — you  must  have  found  your 
sea-training  of  great  service  on  the  examination." 

"  Ay  !  my  dear  Wallingford — what  a  simpleton  I  was !  But 
one  is  so  apt  to  take  up  strange  conceits  in  boyhood,  that  he  is 
compelled  to  look  back  at  them  in  wonder,  in  after  life.  But, 
which  way  are  you  walking  ?" — slipping  an  arm  in  mine — "  if 
up,  I'll  take  a  short  turn  with  you.  There's  scarce  a  soul  in 
town,  at  this  season ;  but  you'll  see  prodigiously  fine  girls  in 
Broadway,  at  this  hour,  notwithstanding — those  that  belong  to 
the  other  sets,  you  know :  those  that  belong  to  families  that 
can't  get  into  the  country  among  the  leaves.  Yes,  as  I  was 
saying,  one  scarce  knows  himself,  after  twenty.  Now,  I  can 
hardly  recall  a  taste,  or  an  inclination,  that  I  cherished  in  my 
teens,  that  has  not  flown  to  the  winds.  Nothing  is  permanent 
in  boyhood — we  grow  in  our  persons,  and  our  minds,  senti 
ments,  affections,  views,  hopes,  wishes,  and  ambition  all  take 
new  directions." 

"  This  is  not  very  flattering,  Rupert,  to  one  whose  acquaint 
ance  with  you  may  be  said  to  be  altogether  boyish." 

"  Oh  !  of  course  I  don't  mean  that.  Habit  keeps  all  right  in 
such  matters ;  and  I  dare  say  I  shall  always  be  as  much  attached 
to  you  as  I  was  in  childhood.  Still,  we  arc  on  diverging  lines, 
now,  and  cannot  forever  remain  boys." 


472  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

"  You  have  told  me  nothing  of  the  rest,"  I  said,  half  choked, 
in  my  eagerness  to  hear  of  the  girls,  and  yet  unaccountably 
afraid  to  ask.  I  believe  I  dreaded  to  hear  that  Lucy  was  mar 
ried.  "  How,  and  where  is  Grace  ?" 

"  Oh !  Grace ! — yes,  I  forgot  her,  to  my  shame,  as  you  would 
naturally  wish  to  inquire.  Why,  my  dear  captain,  to  be  as 
frank  as  one  ought  with  so  old  an  acquaintance,  your  sister  is 
not  in  a  good  way,  I'm  much  afraid  ;  though  I've  not  seen  her 
in  an  age.  She  was  down  among  us  in  the  autumn,  but  left 
town  for  the  holidays,  for  them  she  insisted  on  keeping  at  Claw- 
bonny,  where  she  said  the  family  had  always  kept  them,  and 
away  she  went.  Since  then,  she  has  not  returned  ;  but  I  fear 
she  is  far  from  well.  You  know  what  a  fragile  creature  Grace 
ever  has  been — so  American  !  Ah  !  Wallingford !  our  females 
have  no  constitutions — charming  as  angels,  delicate  as  fairies, 
and  all  that ;  but  not  to  be  compared  to  the  English  Avomen  in 
constitutions." 

I  felt  a  torrent  of  fire  rushing  through  my  blood,  and  it  was 
with  difficulty  I  refrained  from  hurling  the  heartless  scoundrel 
who  leaned  on  my  arm,  into  the  ditch.  A  moment  of  reflection, 
however,  warned  me  of  the  precipice  on  which  I  stood.  He 
was  Mr.  Hardinge's  son,  Lucy's  brother;  and  I  had  no  proofs 
that  he  had  ever  induced  Grace  to  think  he  loved  her.  It  was 
so  easy  for  those  who  had  been  educated  as  we  four  had  been, 
to  be  deceived  on  such  a  point,  that  I  felt  it  unsafe  to  do  any 
thing  precipitately.  Friendship,  habit,  as  Rupert  expressed  it, 
might  so  easily  be  mistaken  for  the  fruits  of  passion,  that  one 
might  well  be  deceived.  Then  it  was  alt-important  to  Grace's  self- 
respect,  to  her  feelings,  in  some  measure  to  her  character,  to  be 
careful,  that  I  suppressed  my  wrath,  though  it  nearly  choked  me. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  hear  this,"  I  answered,  after  a  long  pause,  the 
deep  regret  I  felt  at  having  such  an  account  of  ray  sister's  health 
contributing  to  make  my  manner  seem  natural ;  *?•  very,  very 
sorry  to  hear  it.  Grace  is  one  that  requires  the  terideref-t  care 
and  watching ;  and  I  have  been  making  passage  after  passage  in 
pursuit  of  money,  when  I  am  afraid  I  should  have  been  at  Claw- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  473 

bonny,  discharging  the  duties  of  a  brother.  I  can  never  forgive 
myself!" 

"  Money  is  a  very  good  thing,  captain,"  answered  Rupert, 
with  a  smile  that  appeared  to  mean  more  than  the  tongue  ex 
pressed — "  a  surprisingly  good  thing  is  money  !  But  you  must 
not  exaggerate  Grace's  illness,  which  I  dare  say  is  merely  con 
stitutional,  and  will  lead  to  nothing.  I  hope  your  many  voyages 
have  produced  their  fruits  ?" 

"  And  Lucy,"  I  resumed,  disregarding  his  question  concern 
ing  my  own  success  as  an  owner,  "  where  and  how  is  she  ?" 

"  Miss  Hardinge  is  in  town — in  her  own — that  is,  in  our 
house — in  Wall  street,  though  she  goes  to  the  place  in  the 
morning.  No  one  who  can,  likes  to  remain  among  these  hot 
bricks,  that  has  a  pleasant  country-house  to  fly  to,  and  open  to 
receive  him.  But  I  forgot — I  have  supposed  you  to  know  what 
it  is  very  likely  you  have  never  heard  ?" 

"  I  learned  the  death  of  Mrs.  Bradfort  while  in  Italy,  and, 
seeing  you  in  black,  at  once  supposed  it  was  for  her." 

"  Yes,  that's  just  it.  An  excellent  woman  has  been  taken 
from  us,  and,  had  she  been  my  own  mother,  I  could  not  have 
received  greater  kindnesses  from  her.  Her  end,  my  dear  Wal- 
lingford,  was  admitted  by  all  the  clergy  to  be  one  of  the  most 
edifying  known  in  the  place  for  years." 

"  And  Mrs.  Bradfort  has  left  you  her  heir  ?  It  is  now  time 
to  congratulate  you  on  your  good  fortune.  As  I  understand 
her  estate  came  through  females  to  her,  and  from  a  common 
ancestor  of  hers  and  yours,  there  is  not  the  slightest  reason  why 
you  should  not  be  gratified  by  the  bequest.  But  Lucy — I  hope 
she  was  not  altogether  forgotten  ?" 

Rupert  fidgeted,  and  I  could  see  that  he  was  on  tenter-hooks. 
As  I  afterward  discovered,  he  wished  to  conceal  the  real  facts 
from  the  world ;  and  yet  he  could  not  but  foresee  that  I  would 
probably  learn  them  from  his  father.  Under  all  the  circum 
stances,  therefore,  he  fancied  it  best  to  make  me  a  confidant. 
We  were  strolling  between  Trinity  and  Paul's  church  walks, 
then  the  most  fashionable  promenade  in  town ;  and,  before  he 


474  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

would  lay  open  his  secret,  my  companion  led  me  over  by  the 
Oswego  Market,  and  down  Maiden  Lane,  lest  he  might  betray 
himself  to  the  more  fashionable  stocks  and  stones.  He  did  not 
op.en  his  lips  until  clear  of  the  market,  when  he  laid  bare  his 
budget  of  griefs  in  something  that  more  resembled  his  old  con 
fidential  manner,  than  he  had  seen  fit  to  exhibit  in  the  earlier 
part  of  our  interview. 

"  You  must  know,  Miles,"  he  commenced,  "  that  Mrs.  Brad- 
fort  was  a  very  peculiar  woman — a  very  peculiar  sort  of  a  per 
son,  indeed.  An  excellent  lady,  I  am  ready  to  allow,  and  one 
that  made  a  remarkably,  edifying  end — but  one  whose  peculiar 
ities,  I  have  understood,  she  inherited  with  her  fortune.  Wom 
en  do  get  the  oddest  conceits  into  their  heads,  you  know,  and 
American  women  before  all  others ;  a  republic  being  any  thing 
but  favorable  to  the  continuation  of  property  in  the  same  line. 
Miss  Merton,  who  is  a  girl  of  excellent  sense,  as  you  well  know 
yourself,  Miles,  says,  now,  in  England  I  should  have  succeeded, 
quite  as  a  matter  of  course,  to  all  Mrs.  Bradfort's  real  estate." 

"  You,  as  a  lawyer,  a  common-law  lawyer,  can  scarcely  require 
the  opinion  of  an  Englishwoman  to  tell  you  what  the  English 
laws  would  do  in  a  question  of  descent." 

"  Oh !  they've  a  plaguey  sight  of  statutes  in  that  country  as 
well  as  ourselves.  Between  the  two,  the  common  law  is  getting 
to  be  a  very  uncommon  sort  of  a  law.  But,  to  cut  the  matter 
short,  Mrs.  Bradfort  made  a  will." 

"  Dividing  her  property  equally  between  you  and  Lucy,  I  dare 
say,  to  Miss  Merton's  great  dissatisfaction." 

"  Why,  not  just  so,  Miles,  not  exactly  so ;  a  very  capricious, 
peculiar  woman  was  Mrs.  Bradfort" — 

I  have  often  remarked,  when  a  person  has  succeeded  in 
throwing  dust  into  another's  eyes,  but  is  discarded  on  being 
found  out,  that  the  rejected  of  principle  is  very  apt  to  accuse 
his  former  dupe  of  being  capricious,  when  in  fact  he  has  only 
been  deceived.  As  I  said  nothing,  however,  leaving  Rupert  to 
flounder  on  in  the  best  manner  he  could,  the  latter,  after  a  pause, 
proceeded. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  475 

"  But  her  end  was  very  admirable,"  lie  said,  "  and  to  the  last 
degree  edifying.  You  must  know  she  made  a  will,  and  in  that 
will  she  left  every  thing,  even  to  the  town  and  country-houses,  to 
— my  sister."  » 

I  was  thunder-struck !  Here  were  all  my  hopes  blown  again 
to  the  winds.  After  a  long  pause,  I  resumed  the  discourse. 

"  And  whom  did  she  leave  as  executor  ?"  I  asked,  instantly 
foreseeing  the  consequences  should  that  office  be  devolved  on 
Rupert  himself. 

"  My  father.  The  old  gentleman  has  had  his  hands  full  be 
tween  your  father  and  mother  and  Mrs.  Bradfort.  Fortunately, 
the  estate  of  the  last  is  in  a  good  condition  and  is  easily  man 
aged.  Almost  entirely  in  stores  and  houses  in  the  best  part  of 
the  town,  well  insured,  a  few  thousands  in  stocks,  and  as  much 
in  bonds  and  mortgages,  the  savings  from  the  income,  and  some 
thing  like  a  year's  rents  in  bank.  A  good  seven  thousand  a 
year,  with  enough  surplus  to  pay  for  repairs,  collections,  and 
other  charges." 

"  And  all  this,  then,  is  Lucy's !"  I  exclaimed,  feeling  something 
like  the  bitterness  of  knowing  that  such  an  heiress  was  not  for 
me. 

"  Temporarily,  though  of  course  I  consider  Lucy  as  only  my 
trustee  for  half  of  it.  You  know  how  it  is  with  the  women ; 
they  fancy  all  us  young  men  spendthrifts,  and  so  between  the 
two  they  have  reasoned  in  this  way — '  Rupert  is  a  good  fellow 
at  bottom,  but  Rupert  is  young,  and  he  will  make  the  money 
fly ;  now,  I'll  give  it  all  to  you,  Lucy,  in  my  will,  but  of  course 
you'll  take  care  of  your  brother,  and  let  him  have  half,  or  per 
haps  two  thirds,  being  a  male,  at  the  proper  time,  which  will  be 
as  soon  as  you  come  of  age  and  can  convey.  You  understand 
Lucy  is  but  nineteen,  and  cannot  convey  these  two  years." 

"  And  Lucy  admits  this  to  be  true  ?  You  have  proof  of  all 
this?" 

"  Proof !  I'd  take  my  own  affidavit  of  it.  You  see  it  is  rea 
sonable,  and  what  I  had  a  right  to  expect.  Every  thing  tends  tc 
confirm  it.  Between  ourselves,  I  had  quite  $2000  of  debt,  and 


476  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

yet  you  see  the  good  lady  did  not  leave  me  a  dollar  to  pay  even 
my  honest  creditors,  a  circumstance  that  so  pious  a  woman,  and 
one  who  made  so  edifying  an  end,  would  never  think  of  doing 
without  ulterior  views.  Considering  Lucy  as  my  trustee,  ex 
plains  the  whole  thing." 

"  I  thought  Mrs.  Bradfort  made  you  an  allowance,  Rupert ; 
some  $600  a  year,  besides  keeping  you  in  her  own  house  ?" 

"A  thousand;  but  what  is  $1000  a  year  to  a  fashionable 
man  in  a  town  like  this.  First  and  last,  the  excellent  old  lady 
gave  me  about  $5000,  all  of  which  confirms  the  idea  that  at  the 
bottom  she  intended  me  for  her  heir.  What  woman  in  her 
senses  would  think  of  giving  $5000  to  a  relative  to  whom  she 
did  not  contemplate  giving  more?  The  thing  is  clear  on  its 
face,  aud  I  should  certainly  go  into  chancery  with  anybody  but 
Lucy." 

"  And  Lucy  !  what  says  she  to  your  views  on  the  subject  of 
Mrs.  Bradfort's  intentions  ?" 

"  Why,  you  have  some  acquaintance  with  Lucy — used  to  be 
intimate  with  her,  as  one  might  say,  when  children,  and  know 
something  of  her  character."  This  to  me,  who  fairly  wor 
shipped  the  earth  on  which  the  dear  girl  trod !  "  She  never 
indulges  in  professions,  and  likes  to  take  people  by  surprise 
when  she  contemplates  doing  them  a  service" — this  was  just  as 
far  from  Lucy's  natural  and  honest  mode  of  dealing,  as  it  was 
possible  to  be — "  and  so  she  has  been  as  mum  as  one  who  has 
lost  the  faculty  of  speech.  However,  she  never  speaks  of  her 
affairs  to  others ;  that  is  a  good  sign,  and  indicates  an  intention 
to  consider  herself  as  my  trustee ;  and,  what  is  better  still,  and 
more  plainly  denotes  what  her  conscience  dictates  in  the  prem 
ises,  she  has  empowered  her  father  to  pay  all  my  debts;  the 
current  income  and  loose  cash  being  at  her  disposal  at  once. 
It  would  have  been  better  had  she  given  me  the  money,  to  sat 
isfy  these  creditors  with  it,  for  I  knew  which  had  waited  the 
longest,  and  were  best  entitled  to  receive  the  dollars  at  once ; 
but,  it's  something  to  have  all  their  receipts  in  my  pocket,  and  to 
start  fair  again.  Thank  Heaven,  that  much  is  already  done.  To 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  *  <  7 

do  Lucy  justice,  moreover,  she  allows  me  $1500  a  year,  ad  interim. 
Now,  Miles,  I've  conversed  with  you,  as  with  an  old  friend,  and 
because  I  knew  my  father  would  tell  you  the  whole,  when  you 
got  up  to  Clawbonny;  but  you  will  take  it  all  in  strict  con 
fidence.  It  gives  a  fashionable  young  fellow  so  silly  an  air,  to 
be  thought  dependent  on  a  sister ;  and  she  three  years  younger 
than  himself!  So  I  have  hinted  the  actual  state  of  the  case 
round  among  my  friends;  but,  it  is  generally  believed  that  I 
am  in  possession  already,  and  that  Lucy  is  dependent  on  me, 
instead  of  my  being  dependent  on  her.  The  idea,  moreover, 
is  capital  for  keeping  off  fortune-hunters,  as  you  will  see  at  a 
glance." 

"  And  will  the  report  satisfy  a  certain  Mr.  Andrew  Drewett  ?" 
I  asked,  struggling  to  assume  a  composure  I  was  far  from  feel 
ing.  "  He  was  all  attention  when  I  sailed,  and  I  almost  expected 
to  hear  there  was  no  longer  a  Lucy  Hardinge." 

"  To  tell  you  the  truth,  Miles,  I  thought  so,  too,  until  the 
death  of  Mrs.  Bradfort.  The  mourning,  however,  most  oppor 
tunely  came  to  put  a  stop  to  any  thing  of  the  sort,  were  it  even 
contemplated.  It  would  be  so  awkward,  you  will  understand, 
to  have  a  brother-in-law  before  every  thing  is  settled,  and  the 
trust  is  accounted  for.  Au  reste — I  am  very  well  satisfied  with 
Andrew,  and  let  him  know  I  am  his  friend;  he  is  well  connected ; 
fashionable ;  has  a  pretty  little  fortune ;  and,  as  I  sometimes  tell 
Lucy,  that  he  is  intended  for  her,  as  Mrs.  Bradfort,  no  doubt, 
foresaw,  inasmuch  as  his  estate,  added  to  just  one  third  of  that 
of  our  dear  departed  cousin,  would  just  make  up  the  present  in 
come.  On  my  honor,  now,  I  do  not  think  the  difference  would 
be  $500  per  annum." 

"And  how  does  your  sister  receive  your  hints  ?" 

"  Oh  !  famously — just  as  all  girls  do,  you  know.  She  blushes, 
and  sometimes  she  looks  vexed ;  then  she  smiles,  and  puts  up 
her  lip,  and  says  '  Nonsense !'  and  '  What  folly !  Rupert,  I'm 
surprised  at  you  !'  and  all  that  sort  of  stuff,  which  deceives 
nobody,  you'll  understand,  not  even  her  poor,  simple,  silly 
brother.  But,  Miles,  I  must  quit  you  now,  for  I  have  an  en- 


478  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

gagement  to  accompany  a  party  to  the  theatre,  and  was  on  my 
way  to  join  them  when  we  met.  Cooper  plays,  and  you  know 
what  a  lion  he  is ;  one  would  not  wish  to  lose  a  syllable  of 
his  Othello." 

"  Stop,  Rupert — one  word  more  before  we  part.  From  your 
conversation,  I  gather  that  the  Mertons  are  still  here  ?" 

"  The  Mertons !  Why,  certainly;  established  in  the  land,  and 
among  its  tip-top  people.  The  colonel  finds  his  health  benefit 
ed  by  the  climate,  and  he  has  managed  to  get  some  appoint 
ment  which  keeps  him  among  us.  He  has  Boston  relatives, 
moreover,  and  I  believe  is  fishing  up  some  claims  to  property  in 
that  quarter.  The  Mertons  here,  indeed  !  what  would  New  York 
be  without  the  Mertons  ?" 

"  And  my  old  friend  the  major  is  promoted,  too — you  called 
him  colonel,  I  think  ?" 

"  Did  I  ?  I  believe  he  is  oftener  called  General  Merton,  than 
any  thing  else.  You  must  be  mistaken  about  his  being  only  a 
major,  Miles ;  everybody  here  calls  him  either  colonel,  or 
general." 

"  Never  mind ;  I  hope  it  is  as  you  say.  Good-bye,  Rupert ; 
I'll  not  betray  you,  and" — 

"  Well — you  were  about  to  say" — 

"  Why,  mention  me  to  Lucy ;  you  know  we  were  acquainted 
when  children.  Tell  her  I  wish  her  all  happiness  in  her  new 
position,  to  which  I  do  not  doubt  she  will  do  full  credit ;  and 
that  I  shall  endeavor  to  see  her  before  I  sail  again!" 

"  You  will  not  be  at  the  theatre  this  evening  ?  Cooper  is  well 
worth  seeing — a  most  famous  Othello  !" 

"  I  think  not.  Do  not  forget  to  mention  me  to  your  sister ; 
and  so,  once  more,  adieu !" 

We  parted ;  Rupert  to  go  toward  Broadway,  at  a  great  pace, 
and  I  to  lounge  along,  uncertain  whither  to  proceed.  I  had 
sent  Neb  to  inquire  if  the  Wallingford  were  down,  and  under 
stood  she  would  leave  the  basin  at  sunrise.  It  was  now  my  in 
tention  to  go  up  in  her ;  for,  though  I  attached  no  great  impor 
tance  to  any  of  Rupert's  facts,  his  report  concerning  my  sister's 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHO-EE.  479 

health  rendered  me  exceedingly  uneasy.  Insensibly  I  continued 
my  course  down  Maiden  Lane,  and  soon  found  myself  near  the 
ship.  I  went  on  board,  had  an  explanation  with  Marble,  gave 
some  orders  to  Neb,  and  went  ashore  again,  all  in  the  course  of 
the  next  half  hour.  By  a  sort  of  secret  attraction,  I  was  led  to 
ward  the  Park,  and  soon  found  myself  at  the  door  of  the  thea 
tre.  Mrs.  Bradfort  had  now  been  dead  long  enough  to  put 
Lucy  in  second  mourning,  and  I  fancied  I  might  get  a  view  of 
her  in  the  party  that  Rupert  was  to  accompany.  Buying  a 
ticket,  I  entered  and  made  my  way  up  into  the  Shakspeare  box, 
Had  I  been  better  acquainted  with  the  place,  with  the  object  in 
view,  I  should  have  gone  into  the  pit. 

Notwithstanding  the  lateness  of  the  season,  it  was  a  very  full 
house.  Cooper's,  in  that  day,  was  a  name  that  filled  every 
mouth,  and  he  seldom  failed  to  fill  every  theatre  in  which  he  ap 
peared.  With  many  first-rate  qualifications  for  his  art,  and  a 
very  respectable  conception  of  his  characters,  he  threw  every 
thing  like  competition  behind  him  ;  though  there  were  a  few, 
as  there  ever  will  be  among  the  superlatively  intellectual,  who 
affected  to  see  excellences  in  Fennel,  and  others,  to  which  this 
great  actor  could  not  aspire.  The  public  decided  against  these 
select  few,  and,  as  is  invariably  the  case  when  the  appeal  is 
made  to  human  feelings,  the  public  decided  right.  Puffery  will 
force  into  notice,  and  sustain  a  false  judgment,  in  such  matters, 
for  a  brief  space ;  but  nature  soon  asserts  her  sway,  and  it  is  by 
natural  decisions  that  such  points  are  ever  the  most  justly  deter 
mined.  Whatever  appeals  to  human  sympathies,  will  be  an 
swered  by  human  sympathies.  Popularity  too  often  gains  its 
ascendency  behind  the  hypocrite's  mask  in  religion ;  it  is  usual 
ly  a  magnificent  mystification  in  politics ;  it  frequently  becomes 
the  patriot's  stalking-horse,  on  which  he  rides  to  power ;  in  so 
cial  life,  it  is  the  reward  of  empty  smiles,  unmeaning  bows,  and 
hollow  squeezes  of  the  hand ;  but  with  the  player,  the  poet,  and 
all  whose  pursuits  bring  them  directly  in  contact  with  the  pas 
sions,  the  imagination,  and  the  heart,  it  is  the  unerring  test  of 
merit,  with  certain  qualifications  connected  with  the  mind  and 


480  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

the  higher  finish  of  pure  art.  It  may  be  questioned  if  Cooper 
were  not  the  greatest  actor  of  his  day,  in  a  certain  range  of 
his  own  characters. 

I  have  said  that  the  house  was  full.  I  got  a  good  place,  how 
ever  ;  though  it  was  not  in  the  front  row.  Of  course,  I  could 
only  see  the  side  boxes  beneath,  and  not  even  quite  all  of  them. 
My  eyes  ran  eagerly  over  them,  and  I  soon  caught  a  glimpse  of 
the  fine,  curling  hair  of  Rupert.  He  sat  by  the  side  of  Emily 
Merton,  the  major — I  knew  he  was  a  colonel  or  general,  only  by 
means  of  a  regular  Manhattan  promotion,  which  is  so  apt  to 
make  hundreds  of  counts,  copper  captains,  and  travelling  prodi 
gies  of  those  who  are  very  small  folk  at  home — the  major  sat 
next,  and,  at  his  side,  I  saw  a  lady,  whom  I  at  once  supposed 
to  be  Lucy.  Every  nerve  in  my  system  thrilled,  as  I  caught 
even  this  indistinct  view  of  the  dear  creature.  I  could  just  see 
the  upper  part  of  her  face,  as  it  was  occasionally  turned  to 
ward  the  major ;  and  once  I  caught  that  honest  smile  of  hers, 
which  I  knew  had  never  intentionally  deceived. 

The  front  seat  of  the  box  had  two  vacant  places.  The  bench 
would  hold  six,  while  it  had  yet  only  four.  The  audience,  how 
ever,  was  still  assembling,  and,  presently,  a  stir  in  Lucy's  box 
denoted  the  arrival  of  company.  The  whole  party  moved,  and 
Andrew  Drewett  handed  an  elderly  lady  in,  his  mother,  as  T 
afterward  ascertained,  and  took  the  other  place  himself.  I 
watched  the  salutations  that  were  exchanged,  and  understood 
that  the  new  comers  had  been  expected.  The  places  had  been 
reserved  for  them,  and  old  Mrs.  Drewett  was  doubtless  the 
chaperone  ;  though  one  having  a  brother  and  the  other  a  father 
with  her,  the  two  young  ladies  had  not  hesitated  about  pro- 
ceding  the  elderly  lady.  They  had  come  from  different  quar 
ters  of  the  town,  and  had  agreed  to  meet  at  the  theatre.  Old 
Mrs.  Drewett  was  very  particular  in  shaking  hands  with  Lucy, 
though  I  had  not  the  misery  of  seeing  her  son  go  through  the 
same  ceremony.  Still  he  was  sufficiently  pointed  in  his  saluta 
tions ;  and,  during  the  movements,  I  perceived  he  managed  to 
get  next  to  Lucy,  leaving  the  major  to  entertain  his  mother. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  481 

All  this  was  natural,  and  what  might  have  been  expected ;   yet 
it  gave  me  a  pang  that  I  cannot  describe. 

I  sat,  for  half  an  hour,  perfectly  inattentive  to  the  play,  medi 
tating  on  the  nature  of  my  real  position  toward  Lucy.  I  re 
called  the  days  of  childhood  and  early  youth ;  the  night  of  my 
first  departure  from  home  ;  my  return,  and  the  incidents  accom 
panying  my  second  departure  ;  the  affair  of  the  locket,  and  all  I 
had  truly  felt  myself,  and  all  that  I  had  supposed  Lucy  herself 
to  feel,  on  those  several  occasions.  Could  it  be  possible  I  had 
so  much  deceived  myself,  and  that  the  interest  the  dear  girl  had 
certainly  manifested  in  me  had  been  nothing  but  the  fruits  of 
her  naturally  warm  and  honest  heart — her  strong  disposition  to 
frankness — habit,  as  Rupert  had  so  gently  hinted  in  reference  to 
ourselves  ? 

Then  1  could  not  conceal  from  myself  the  bitter  fact  that 
I  was,  now,  no  equal  match  for  Lucy,  in  the  eyes  of  the 
world.  While  she  was  poor,  and  I  comparatively  rich,  the 
inequality  in  social  station  might  have  been  overlooked ;  it  ex 
isted,  certainly,  but  was  not  so  very  marked  that  it  might  not, 
even  in  that  day,  be  readily  forgotten ;  but  now,  Lucy  was  an 
heiress,  had  much  more  than 'double  my  own  fortune — had  a 
fortune,  indeed ;  while  I  was  barely  in  easy  circumstances,  as 
persons  of  the  higher  classes  regarded  wealth.  The  whole  mat 
ter  seemed  reversed.  It  was  clear  that  a  sailor  like  myself,  with 
no  peculiar  advantages,  those  of  a  tolerable  education  excepted, 
and  who  was  necessarily  so  much  absent,  had  not  the  same 
chances  of  preferring  his  suit,  as  one  of  your  town  idlers;  a 
nominal  lawyer,  for  instance,  who  dropped  in  at  his  office  for  an 
hour  or  two,  just  after  breakfast,  and  promenaded  Broadway 
the  rest  of  the  time,  until  dinner ;  or  a  man  of  entire  leisure, 
like  Andrew  Drewett,  who  belonged  to  the  City  Library  set, 
and  had  no  other  connection  with  business  than  to  see  that  his 
rents  were  collected  and  his  dividends  paid.  The  more  I  re 
flected,  the  more  humble  I  became,  the  less  my  chances  seemed, 
and  I  determined  to  quit  the  theatre,  at  once.  The  reader  will 
remember  that  I  was  New  York  born  and  bred,  a  state  of  society 
21 


482  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

in  which  few  natives  acted  on  the  principle  that  "  there  was 
nothing  too  high  to  be  aspired  to,  nothing  too  low  to  be  done." 
I  admitted  I  had  superiors,  and  was  willing  to  defer  to  the  facts 
and  opinions  of  the  world  as  I  knew  it. 

In  the  lobby  of  the  building,  I  experienced  a  pang  at  the  idea 
of  quitting  the  place  without  getting  one  look  at  the  face  of 
Lucy.  I  was  in  an  humble  mood,  it  is  true,  but  that  did  not 
necessarily  infer  a  total  self-denial.  I  determined,  therefore,  to 
pass  into  the  pit,  with  my  box-check,  feast  my  eyes  by  one  long 
gaze  at  the  dear  creature's  ingenuous  countenance,  and  carry 
away  the  impression,  as  a  lasting  memorial  of  her  whom  I  so 
well  loved,  and  whom  I  felt  persuaded  I  should  ever  continue  to 
love.  After  this  indulgence,  I  would  studiously  avoid  her,  in 
order  to  release  my  thoughts  as  much  as  possible  from  the  per 
fect  thraldom  in  which  they  had  existed,  ever  since  I  had  heard 
of  Mrs.  Bradfort's  death.  Previously  to  that  time,  I  am  afraid 
I  had  counted  a  little  more  than  was  becoming  on  the  ease  of 
my  own  circumstances,  and  Lucy's  comparative  poverty.  Not 
that  1  had  ever  supposed  her  to  be  in  the  least  mercenary — this 
I  knew  to  be  utterly,  totally  false — but  because  the  good  town 
of  Manhattan,  even  in  1803,  was  tant  soil  pen  addicted  to  dol 
lars,  and  Lucy's  charms  would  not  be  likely  to  attract  so  many 
suitors,  in  the  modest  setting  of  a  poor  country  clergyman's 
means,  as  in  the  golden  frame  by  which  they  had  been  surrounded 
by  Mrs.  Bradfort's  testamentary  devise,  even  supposing  Rupert 
to  come  in  for  quite  one  half. 

I  had  no  difficulty  in  finding  a  convenient  place  in  the  pit ; 
one,  from  which  I  got  a  front  and  near  view  of  the  whole  six,  as 
they  sat  ranged  side  by  side.  Of  the  major  and  old  Mrs.  Drew- 
ett  it  is  unnecessary  to  say  much.  The  latter  looked  as  all 
dowager-like  widows  of  that  day  used  to  appear,  respectable, 
staid,  and  richly  attired.  The  good  lady  had  come  on  the  stage 
during  the  Revolution,  and  had  a  slightly  military  air — a  parade 
in  her  graces,  that  was  not  altogether  unknown  to  the  eleves  of 
that  school.  I  dare  say  she  could  use  such  words  as  "  mar 
tinets,''  "  mohairs,"  "  brigadiers,"  and  other  terms  familiar  to  her 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  483 

class.  Alas  !  how  completely  all  these  little  traces  of  the  past 
are  disappearing  from  our  habits  and  manners  ! 

As  for  the  major,  he  appeared  much  better  in  health,  and 
altogether  altered  in  mien.  I  could  readily  detect  the  influence 
of  the  world  on  him.  He  was  evidently  a  so  much  greater  man 
in  New  York  than  he  had  been  when  I  found  him  in  London, 
that  it  is  not  wonderful  he  felt  the  difference.  Between  the 
acts,  I  remarked  that  all  the  principal  persons  in  the  front  rows 
were  desirous  of  exchanging  nods  with  the  "  British  officer,"  a 
proof  that  he  was  circulating  freely  in  the  best  set,  and  had 
reached  a  point,  when  "  not  to  know  him,  argues  yourself  un 
known."* 

Emily  certainly  looked  well  and  happy.  I  could  see  that  she 
was  delighted  with  Rupert's  flattery,  and  I  confess  I  cared  very 
little  for  his  change  of  sentiment  or  his  success.  That  both 
Major  and  Emily  Merton  were  different  persons  in  the  midst  of 
the  world  and  in  the  solitudes  of  the  Pacific,  was  as  evident  as 
it  was  that  I  was  a  different  personage  in  command  of  the  Crisis 
and  in  the  pit  of  the  Park  theatre.  I  dare  say,  at  that  moment, 
Miss  Merton  had  nearly  forgotten  that  such  a  man  as  Miles 

*  The  miserable  moral  dependence  of  this  country  on  Great  Britain,  forty  years  since, 
cannot  well  be  brought  home  to  the  present  generation.  It  is  still  too  great,  but  has 
not  a  tithe  of  its  former  force.  The  writer  has  himself  known  an  Italian  prince,  a  man 
of  family  and  of  high  personal  merit,  pass  unnoticed  before  a  society  that  was  eager  to 
make  the  acquaintance  of  most  of  the  "  agents"  of  tb_  Birmingham  button  dealers ;  and 
this  simply  because  one  came  from  Italy  and  the  other  from  England.  The  following 
anecdote,  which  is  quite  as  true  as  any  other  fact  in  this  work,  furnishes  a  eood  exam 
ple  of  what  is  meant  It  is  now  a  quarter  of  a  century  since  the  writer's  first  book  ap 
peared.  Two  or  three  months  after  the  publication,  he  was  walking  down  Broadway 
with  a  friend,  when  a  man  of  much  distinction  in  the  New  York  circles  was  passing  up, 
on  the  other  side-walk.  The  gentleman  in  question  caught  the  writer's  eye,  bowed, 
and  crossed  the  street,  to  shake  hands  and  iuquire  after  the  author's  health.  The 
difference  in  years  made  this  attention  marked.  "  5Tou  are  in  high  favor,"  observed 
the  friend,  as  the  two  walked  away,  "to  have  — —  pay  you  such  a  compliment — your 
book  must  have  done  this."  "Now  mark  my  words — I  have  been  puffed  in  some 

Enzlish  magazine,  and knows  it"    The  two  were  on  their  way  to  the  author's 

publishers,  and,  on  entering  the  door,  honest  Charles  Wiley  put  a  puff  on  the  book  in 
question  into  the  writer's  hand.  What  rendered  the.  whole  more  striking,  was  the  fact 
that  the  paragraph  was  as  flagrant  a  puff  as  was  ever  written,  and  had  probably  been 
paid  for,  by  the  English  publisher.  The  gentleman  in  question  was  a  man  of  talents 
and  merit,  but  he  had  been  born  half  a  century  too  soon  to  enjoy  entire  mental  inde 
pendence  in  a  country  that  had  so  recently  been  a  colony. 


i84  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

Wallingford  existed,  though  I  think  she  sometimes  recalled  the 
string  of  magnificent  pearls  that  were  to  ornament  the  neck  of 
his  wife,  should  he  ever  find  any  one  to  have  him. 

But  Lucy,  dear,  upright,  warm-hearted,  truth-telling,  beloved 
Lucy  !  all  this  time  I  forget  to  speak  of  her.  There  she  sat  in 
maiden  loveliness,  her  beauty  still  more  developed,  her  eye  as 
beaming,  lustrous,  feeling,  as  ever,  her  blush  as  sensitive,  her 
smile  as  sweet,  and  her  movements  as  natural  and  graceful.  The 
simplicity  of  her  half  mourning,  too,  added  to  her  beauty,  which 
was  of  a  character  to  require  no  further  aid  from  dress,  than  such 
as  was  dependent  purely  on  taste.  As  I  gazed  at  her,  enthralled, 
I  fancied  nothing  was  wanting  to  complete  the  appearance  but 
my  own  necklace.  Powerful,  robust  man  as  I  was,  with  my 
frame  hardened  by  exposure  and  trials,  I  could  have  sat  down 
and  wept,  after  gazing  some  time  at  the  precious  creature,  under 
the  feeling  produced  by  the  conviction  that  I  was  never  to  renew 
my  intercourse  with  her,  on  terms  of  intimacy  at  least.  The 
thought  that  from  day  to  day  we  were  to  become  more  and 
more  strangers,  was  almost  too  much  to  be  borne.  As  it  was, 
scalding  tears  forced  themselves  to  my  eyes,  though  I  succeeded 
in  concealing  the  weakness  from  those  around  me.  At  length 
the  tragedy  terminated,  the  curtain  dropped,  and  the  audience 
began  to  move  about.  The  pit,  which  had  just  before  been 
crowded,  was  now  nearly  empty,  and  I  was  afraid  of  being  seen. 
Still,  I  could  not  tear  myself  away,  but  remained  after  nine 
tenths  of  those  around  me  had  gone  into  the  lobbies. 

It  was  easy,  now,  to  see  the  change  which  had  come  over 
Lucy's  position,  in  the  attentions  she  received.  All  the  ladies 
in  the  principal  boxes  had  nods  and  smiles  for  her,  and  half  the 
fashionable-looking  young  men  in  the  house  crowded  round 
her  box,  or  actually  entered  it  to  pay  their  compliments.  I 
fancied  Andrew  Drewett  had  a  self-satisfied  air  that  seemed  to 
say,  "you  are  paying  your  homage  indirectly  to  myself,  in  pay 
ing  it  to  this  young  .ady."  As  for  Lucy,  my  jealous  watchful 
ness  could  not  detect  the  smallest  alteration  in  her  deport 
ment,  so  far  as  simplicity  and  nature  were  concerned.  She 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  485 

appeared  in  a  trifling  degree  more  womanly,  perhaps,  than 
when  I  saw  her  last,  being  now  in  her  twentieth  year,  but 
the  attentions  she  received  made  no  visible  change  in  her  man 
ners.  I  had  become  lost  in  the  scene,  and  was  standing  in  a 
musing  attitude,  my  side  face  toward  the  box,  when  I  heard  a 
suppressed  exclamation,  in  Lucy's  voice.  I  was  too  near  her  to 
be  mistaken,  and  it  caused  the  blood  to  rush  to  my  heart  in  a 
torrent.  Turning,  I  saw  the  dear  girl,  with  her  hand  extended 
over  the  front  of  the  box,  her  face  suffused  with  blushes,  and 
her  eyes  riveted  on  myself.  I  was  recognized,  and  the  surprise 
had  produced  a  display  of  all  that  old  friendship,  certainly,  that 
had  once  existed  between  us,  in  the  simplicity  and  truth  of 
childhood. 

"  Miles  Wallingford !"  she  said,  as  I  advanced  to  shake  the 
offered  hand,  and  as  soon  as  I  was  near  enough  to  permit  her  to 
speak  without  attracting  too  much  attention — "  you  arrived,  and 
we  knew  nothing  of  it !'' 

It  was  plain  Rupert  had  said  nothing  of  having  seen  me,  or 
of  our  interview  in  the  street.  He  seemed  a  little  ashamed,  and 
leaned  forward  to  say, 

"  I  declare  I  forgot  to  mention,  Lucy,  that  I  met  Captain 
Wallingford  as  I  was  going  to  join  the  colonel  and  Miss  Mer- 
ton.  Oh !  we  have  had  a  long  talk  together,  and  it  will  save 
you  a  history  of  past  events." 

"  T  may,  nevertheless,  say,"  I  rejoined,  "how  happy  I  am  to 
see  Miss  Hardinge  looking  so  well,  and  to  be  able  to  pay  my 
compliments  to  my  old  passengers." 

Of  course  I  shook  hands  with  the  major  and  Emily,  bowed 
to  Drewett,  was  named  to  his  mother,  and  was  invited  to  enter 
the  box,  as  it  was  not  quite  in  rule  to  be  conversing  between 
the  pit  and  the  front  rows.  I  forgot  my  prudent  resolutions, 
and  was  behind  Lucy  in  three  minutes.  Andrew  Drewett  had 
the  civility  to  offer  me  his  place,  though  it  was  with  an  air  that 
said  plain  enough,  "  what  do  /  care  for  him  ?  he  is  a  shipmaster, 
and  I  am  a  man  of  fashion  and  fortune,  and  can  resume  my  seat 
at  any  moment,  while  the  poor  fellow  can  only  catch  his  chances, 


486  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

as  lie  occasionally  comes  into  port.'1'1  At  least,  I  fancied  his  mau- 
ner  said  something  like  this. 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Drewctt,"  said  Lucy,  in  her  sweetest  manner. 
"  Mr.  Wallingford  and  I  are  very,  very  old  friends — you  know 
he  is  Grace's  brother,  and  you  have  been  at  Clawbonny" — 
Drewett  bowed,  civilly  enough — "  and  I  have  a  thousand  things 
to  say  to  him.  So,  Miles,  take  this  seat,  and  let  me  hear  all 
about  your  voyage." 

As  half  the  audience  went  away  as  soon  as  the  tragedy  ended, 
the  second  seat  of  the  box  was  vacated,  and  the  other  gentle 
men  getting  on  it,  to  stretch  their  limbs,  I  had  abundance  of 
room  to  sit  at  Lucy's  side,  half  facing  her,  at  the  same  time.  As 
she  insisted  on  hearing  my  story,  before  we  proceeded  to  any 
thing  else,  I  was  obliged  to  gratify  her. 

"  By  the  way,  Major  Merton,"  I  cried,  as  the  tale  was  closed, 
"  an  old  friend  of  yours,  Moses  Marble  by  name,  has  come  to 
life  again,  and  is  at  this  moment  in  New  York." 

I  then  related  the  manner  in  which  I  had  fallen  in  with  my 
old  mate.  This  was  a  most  unfortunate  self-interruption  for  me, 
giving  the  major  a  fair  opportunity  for  cutting  into  the  conversa 
tion.  The  orchestra,  moreover,  giving  notice  that  the  curtain 
would  soon  rise  for  the  after-piece,  the  old  gentleman  soon  got 
me  into  the  lobby  to  hear  the  particulars.  I  was  supremely 
vexed,  and  I  thought  Lucy  appeared  sorry ;  but  there  was  no 
help  for  it,  and  then  we  could  not  converse  while  the  piece  was 
going  on. 

"  I  suppose  you  care  little  for  this  silly  farce,"  observed  the 
major,  looking  in  at  one  of  the  windows,  after  I  had  gone  over 
Marble's  affair  in  detail.  "  If  not,  we  will  continue  our  walk, 
and  wait  for  the  ladies  to  come  out.  Drewett  and  Hardinge 
will  take  good  care  of  them." 

I  assented,  and  we  continued  to  walk  the  lobby  till  the  end 
of  the  act.  Major  Merton  was  always  gentleman-like  ;  and  he 
even  behaved  to  me,  as  if  he  remembered  the  many  obligations 
he  was  under.  He  now  communicated  several  little  facts  con 
nected  with  his  own  circumstances,  alluding  to  the  probability 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  48*? 

of  his  remaining  in  America  a  few  years.  Our  chat  continued 
some  time,  my  looks  frequently  turning  toward  the  door  of  the 
box,  when  my  companion  suddenly  observed — 

"  Your  old  acquaintances  the  Hardinges  have  had  a  lucky 
windfall  —  one,  I  fancy,  they  hardly  expected,  a  few  years 
since." 

"  Probably  not ;  though  the  estate  has  fallen  into  excellent 
hands,"  I  answered.  "  I  am  surprised,  however,  that  Mrs.  Brad- 
fort  did  not  leave  the  property  to  the  old  gentleman,  as  it  once 
belonged  to  their  common  grandfather,  and  he  properly  stood 
next  in  succession." 

"  I  fancy  she  thought  the  good  parson  would  not  know 
what  to  do  with  it.  Now,  Rupert  Hardinge  is  clever,  and 
spirited,  and  in  a  way  to  make  a  figure  in  the  world ;  and  it  is 
probably  in  better  hands  than  if  it  had  been  left  first  to  the  old 
gentleman." 

"  The  old  gentleman  has  been  a  faithful  steward  to  me,  and  I 
doubt  not  would  have  proved  equally  so  to  his  own  children.. 
But,  does  Rupert  get  all  Mrs.  Bradfort's  property  ?" 

"  I  believe  not ;  there  is  some  sort  of  a  trust,  I  have  heard 
him  say ;  and  I  rather  fancy  that  his  sister  has  some  direct,  or 
reversionary  interest.  Perhaps  she  is  named  as  the  heir,  if  he 
die  without  issue.  There  was  a  silly  story,  that  Mrs.  Bradfort 
had  left  every  thing  to  Lucy ;  but  I  have  it  from  the  best  au 
thority,  that  that  is  not  true."  The  idea  of  Rupert  Hardinge's 
being  the  "  best  authority"  for  any  thing ;  a  fellow  who  never 
knew  what  unadulterated  truth  was,  from  the  time  he  was  in 
petticoats,  or  could  talk !  "  As  I  know  there  is  a  trust,  though 
one  of  no  great  moment,  I  presume  Lucy  has  some  contingent 
interest,  subject,  most  probably,  to  her  marrying  with  her 
brother's  approbation,  or  some  such  provision.  The  old  lady 
was  sagacious,  and  no  doubt  did  all  that  was  necessary." 

It  is  wonderful  how  people  daily  deceive  themselves  on  the 
subject  of  property ;  those  who  care  the  most  about  it,  appear 
ing  to  make  the  gioatest  blunders.  In  the  way  of  bequests,  in 
particular,  the  lies  that  are  told  are  marvellous.  It  is  now 


488  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

many  years  since  I  learned  to  take  no  heed  of  rumors  on  such 
subjects,  and  least  of  all,  rumors  that  come  from  the  class  of  the 
money-gripers.  Such  people  refer  every  thing  to  dollars,  and 
seldom  converse  a  minute  without  using  the  word.  Here,  how 
ever,  was  Major  Merton  evidently  Rupert's  dupe  ;  though  with 
what  probable  consequences,  it  was  not  in  my  power  to  foresee. 
It  was  clearly  not  my  business  to  undeceive  him ;  and  the  con 
versation  getting  to  be  embarrassing,  I  was  not  sorry  to  hear 
the  movement  which  announced  the  end  of  the  act.  At  the 
box  door,  to  my  great  regret,  we  met  Mrs.  Drewett  retiring,  the 
ladies  finding  the  farce  dull,  and  not  worth  the  time  lost  in 
listening  to  it.  Rupert  gave  me  an  uneasy  glance,  and  he  even 
dragged  me  aside  to  whisper — "  Miles,  what  I  told  you  this 
evening,  is  strictly  a  family  secret,  and  was  entrusted  to  a 
friend." 

"  I  have  nothing  to  do  with  your  private  concerns,  Rupert," 
I  answered — "  only,  let  me  expect  you  to  act  honorably,  espec 
ially  when  women  are  concerned." 

"  Every  thing  will  come  right,  depend  on  it ;  the  truth  will 
set  every  thing  right,  and  all  will  come  out  just  as  I  predicted." 

I  saw  Lucy  looking  anxiously  around,  while  Drewett  had 
gone  to  order  the  carriages  to  advance,  and  I  hoped  it  might  be 
for  me.  In  a  moment  I  was  by  her  side ;  at  the  next,  Mr. 
Andrew  Drewett  offered  his  arm,  saying,  her  carriage  "  stopped 
the  way."  We  moved  into  the  outer  lobby,  in  a  body,  and 
then  it  was  found  that  Mrs.  Drewett's  carriage  was  up  first, 
while  Lucy's  was  in  the  rear.  Yes,  Lucy's  carriage  ! — the  dear 
girl  having  come  into  immediate  possession  of  her  relative's 
houses,  furniture,  horses,  carriages,  and  every  thing  else,  without 
reserve,  just  as  they  had  been  left  behind  by  the  last  incumbent, 
when  she  departed  from  the  scene  of  life,  to  lie  down  in  tho 
grave.  Mrs.  Bradfort's  arms  were  still  on  the  chariot,  I  ob 
served,  its  owner  refusing  all  Rupert's  solicitations  to  supplant 
them  by  those  of  Hardinge.  The  latter  took  his  revenge,  how 
ever,  by  telling  everybody  how  generous  he  was  in  keeping  a 
carriage  for  his  sister. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  489 

The  major  handed  Mrs.  Drewett  in,  and  her  son  was  com 
pelled  to  say  good  night,  to  see  his  mother  home.  This  gave 
me  one  blessed  minute  with  Lucy,  by  herself.  She  spoke  of 
Grace  ;  said  they  had  now  been  separated  months,  longer  than 
they  ever  had  been  before  in  their  lives,  and  that  all  her  own 
persuasions  could  not  induce  my  sister  to  rejoin  her  in  town, 
while  her  own  wish  to  visit  Clawbonny  had  been  constantly  dis 
appointed,  Rupert  insisting  that  her  presence  was  necessary,  for 
so  many  arrangements  about  business. 

"  Grace  is  not  as  humble  as  I  was  in  old  times,  Miles,"  said 
the  dear  girl,  looking  me  in  the  face  half  sadly  half  reproachful 
ly,  the  light  of  the  lamp  falling  full  on  her  tearful,  tender  eyes, 
"  and  I  hope  you  are  not  about  to  imitate  her  bad  example. 
She  wishes  us  to  know  she  has  Clawbonny  for  a  home,  but  I 
never  hesitated  to  admit  how  poor  we  were,  while  you  alone 
were  rich." 

"  God  bless  you,  Lucy !"  I  whispered,  squeezing  her  hand 
with  fervor.  "  It  cannot  be  that — have  you  heard  any  thing  of 
Grace's  health  ?" 

"  Oh  !  she  is  well,  I  know — Rupert  tells  me  that,  and  her  let 
ters  are  cheerful  and  kind  as  ever,  without  a  word  of  complaint. 
But  I  must  see  her  soon.  Grace  Wallingford  and  Lucy  Hardinge 
were  not  born  to  live  asunder.  Here  is  the  carriage ;  I  shall 
see  you  in  the  morning,  Miles,  at  breakfast,  say  eight  o'clock 
precisely." 

"  It  will  be  impossible.  I  sail  for  Clawbonny  with  the  first 
of  the  flood,  and  that  will  make  at  four.  I  shall  sleep  in  the 
sloop." 

Major  Merton  put  Lucy  into  the  carriage,  the  good  nights 
were  passed,  and  I  was  left  standing  on  the  lowest  step  of  the 
building  gazing  after  the  carriage,  Rupert  walking  swiftly  away. 
21* 


490  AFLOAT      AND      A8HOEK. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

"Hear  me  a  little; 
For  I  have  only  been  silent  so  long, 
And  given  way  unto  this  course  of  fortune, 
By  noting  of  the  lady :  I  have  mark'd 
A  thousand  blushing  apparitions  start 
Into  her  face ;  a  thousand  innocent  shames 
In  angel  whiteness  bear  away  those  blushes" — 

SlIAKSPEARK. 

I  REACHED  the  Wallingford  before  eleven,  where  I  found  Neb 
in  attendance  with  my  trunks  and  other  effects.  Being  now  on 
board  my  own  craft,  I  gave  orders  to  profit  by  a  favorable  turn 
in  the  wind,  and  to  get  under  way  at  once  instead  of  waiting  for 
the  flood.  When  I  left  the  deck  the  sloop  was  above  the  State 
Prison,  a  point  toward  which  the  town  itself  had  made  consid 
erable  progress  since  the  time  I  first  introduced  it  to  the  reader. 
Notwithstanding  this  early  start,  we  did  not  enter  the  creek  un 
til  about  eight  in  the  morning  of  the  second  day. 

No  sooner  was  the  vessel  near  enough,  than  my  foot  was  on 
the  wharf,  and  I  began  to  ascend  the  hill.  From  the  summit  of 
the  latter  I  saw  my  late  guardian  hurrying  along  the  road,  it  af 
terward  appearing  that  a  stray  paper  from  town  had  announced 
the  arrival  of  the  Dawn,  and  that  I  was  expected  to  come  up  in 
the  sloop.  I  was  received  with  extended  hands,  was  kissed  just 
as  if  I  had  still  been  a  boy,  and  heard  the  guileless  old  man 
murmuring  his  blessings  on  me,  and  a  prayer  of  thankfulness. 
Nothing  ever  changed  good  Mr.  Hardinge,  who,  now  that  he 
could  command  the  whole  income  of  his  daughter,  was  just  as 
well  satisfied  to  live  on  the  three  or  four  hundreds  he  got  from 
his  glebe  and  his  parish,  as  he  ever  had  been  in  his  life. 

"  Welcome  back,  my  dear  boy,  welcome  back !"  added  Mr. 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  491 

Hardinge,  his  voice  and  manner  still  retaining  their  fervor.  "  I 
said  you  must — you  would  be  on  board,  as  soon  as  they  report 
ed  the  sloop  in  sight,  for  I  judged  your  heart  by  my  own.  Ah ! 
Miles,  will  the  time  ever  come  when  Clawbonny  will  be  good 
enough  for  you  ?  You  have  already  as  much  money  as  you  can 
want,  and  more  will  scarce  contribute  to  your  happiness." 

"  Speaking  of  money,  my  dear  sir,"  I  answered,  "  while  I  have 
to  regret  the  loss  of  your  respectable  kinswoman,  I  may  be  per 
mitted  to  congratulate  you  on  the  accession  to  an  old  family 
property.  I  understand  you  inherit,  in  your  family,  all  of  Mrs. 
Bradfort's  estate — one  valuable  in  amount,  and  highly  accepta 
ble,  no  doubt,  as  having  belonged  to  your  ancestors." 

"  No  doubt — no  doubt — it  is  just  as  you  say;  and  I  hope 
these  unexpected  riches  will  leave  us  all  as  devout  servants  of  God 
as  I  humbly  trust  they  found  us.  The  property,  however,  is  not 
mine,  but  Lucy's ;  I  need  not  have  any  reserve  with  you,  though 
Rupert  has  hinted  it  might  be  prudent  not  to  let  the  precise 
state  of  the  case  be  known,  since  it  might  bring  a  swarm  of  in 
terested  fortune-hunters  about  the  dear  girl,  and  has  proposed 
that  we  rather  favor  the  notion  the  estate  is  to  be  divided 
among  us.  This  I  cannot  do  directly,  you  will  perceive,  as  it 
would  be  deception ;  but  one  may  be  silent.  With  you,  how 
ever,  it  is  a  different  matter,  and  so  I  tell  you  the  truth  at  once. 
I  am  made  executor,  and  act,  of  course ;  and  this  makes  me  the 
more  glad  to  see  you,  for  I  find  so  much  business  with  pounds, 
shillings,  and  pence,  draws  my  mind  off  from  the  duties  of  my 
holy  office,  and  that  I  am  in  danger  of  becoming  selfish  and 
mercenary.  A  selfish  priest,  Miles,  is  as  odious  a  thing  as  a 
mercenary  woman  !" 

"  Little  danger  of  your  ever  becoming  any  thing  so  worldly,  my 
dear  sir.  But  Grace — you  have  not  mentioned  my  beloved  sister?" 

I  saw  Mr.  Hardinge's  countenance  suddenly  change.  The 
expression  of  joy  instantly  deserted  it,  and  it  wore  an  air  of  un 
certainty  and  sadness.  A  less  observant  man  than  the  good 
divine,  in  all  the  ordinary  concerns  of  life,  did  not  exist ;  but  it 
was  apparent  that  he  now  saw  something  to  trouble  him. 


492  AFLOAT     AND     ASHORE. 

"  Yes,  Grace,"  he  answered,  doubtingly ;  "  the  dear  girl  is 
here,  and  all  alone,  and  not  as  blithe  and  amusing  as  formerly. 
I  am  glad  of  your  return  on  her  account,  too,  Miles.  She  is  not 
well,  I  fear ;  I  would  have  sent  for  a  physician  last  week,  or  the 
moment  I  saw  her ;  but  she  insists  on  it.  there  is  no  need  of 
one.  She  is  frightfully  beautiful,  Miles !  You  know  how  it  is 
with  Grace — her  countenance  always  seemed  more  fitted  for 
heaven  than  earth ;  and  now  it  always  reminds  me  of  a  seraph's 
that  was  grieving  over  the  sins  of  men  !" 

"I  fear,  sir,  that  Rupert's  account,  then,  is  true,  and  that  Grace 
is  seriously  ill?" 

"  I  hope  not,  boy — I  fervently  pray  not !  She  is  not  as  usual 
— that  is  true;  but  her  mind,  her  thoughts,  all  her  inclinations, 
and,  if  I  may  so  express  it,  her  energies,  seem  turned  to  heaven. 
There  has  been  an  awakening  in  the  spirit  of  Grace,  that  is  truly 
wonderful.  She  reads  devout  books,  meditates,  and,  I  make 
no  doubt,  prays,  from  morn  till  night.  This  is  the  secret  of  her 
withdrawal  from  the  world,  and  her  refusing  of  all  Lucy's  invita 
tions.  You  know  how  the  girls  love  each  other — but  Grace  de 
clines  going  to  Lucy,  though  she  knows  that  Lucy  cannot  come 
to  her." 

I  now  understood  it  all.  A  weight  like  that  of  a  mountain 
fell  upon  my  heart,  and  I  walked  on  some  distance  without 
speaking.  To  me,  the  words  of  my  excellent  guardian  sounded 
like  the  knell  of  a  sister  I  almost  worshipped. 

"  And  Grace — does  she  expect  me,  now  ?"  I  at  length  ventured 
to  say,  though  the  words  were  uttered  in  tones  so  tremulous, 
that  even  the  usually  unobservant  divine  perceived  the  change. 

"  She  does,  and  delighted  she  was  to  hear  it.  The  only  thing  of 
a  worldly  nature  that  I  have  heard  her  express  of  late,  was  some 
anxious,  sisterly  wish  for  your  speedy  return.  Grace  loves  you, 
Miles,  next  to  her  God  !" 

Oh !  how  I  wished  this  were  true,  but,  alas !  alas !  I  knew  it 
was  far  otherwise ! 

"  I  see  you  are  disturbed,  my  dear  boy,  on  account  of  what  I 
have  ^aid,"  resumed  Mr.  Hardinge ;  "  probably  from  serious  ap- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  493 

prehensions  about  your  sister's  health.  She  is  not  well,  I  allow ; 
but  it  is  the  effect  of  mental  ailments.  The  precious  creature 
has  had  too  vivid  views  of  her  own  sinful  nature,  and  has  suffer 
ed  deeply,  I  fear.  I  trust,  my  conversation  and  prayers  have 
not  been  without  their  effect,  through  the  divine  aid,  and  that 
she  is  now  more  cheerful — nay,  she  has  assured  me  within  half 
an  hour,  if  it  turned  out  that  you  were  in  the  sloop,  she  should 
be  happy  !" 

For  my  life,  I  could  not  have  conversed  longer  on  the  painful 
subject ;  I  made  no  reply.  As  we  had  still  a  considerable  dis 
tance  to  walk,  I  was  glad  to  turn  the  conversation  to  other  sub 
jects,  lest  I  should  become  unmanned,  and  sit  down  to  weep  in 
the  middle  of  the  road. 

"  Does  Lucy  intend  to  visit  Clawbonny  this  summer  ?"  I  ask 
ed,  though  it  seemed  strange  to  me  to  suppose  that  the  farm 
was  not  actually  Lucy's  home.  I  am  afraid  I  felt  a  jealous  dis 
like  to  the  idea  that  the  dear  creature  should  have  houses  and 
lands  of  her  own  ;  or  any  that  were  not  to  be  derived  through 
me. 

"  I  hope  so,"  answered  her  father,  "  though  her  new  duties 
do  not  leave  Lucy  as  much  her  own  mistress  as  I  could  wish. 
You  saw  her  and  her  brother,  Miles,  I  take  it  for  granted  ?" 

"  I  met  Rupert  in  the  street,  sir,  and  had  a  short  interview 
with  the  Mertons  and  Lucy  at  the  theatre.  Young  Mr.  and  old 
Mrs.  Drewett  were  of  the  party." 

The  good  divine  turned  short  round  to  me,  and  looked  as 
conscious  and  knowing  as  one  of  his  singleness  of  mind  and 
simplicity  of  habits  could  look.  Had  a  knife  penetrated  my 
flesh,  I  could  not  have  winced  more  than  I  did ;  still,  I  affected 
a  manner  that  was  very  foreign  to  my  feelings. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  this  young  Mr.  Drewett,  boy  ?"  asked 
Mr.  Hardinge,  with  an  air  of  confidential  interest,  and  an  ear 
nestness  of  manner  that,  with  him,  was  inseparable  from  all  that 
concerned  his  daughter.  "  Do  you  approve  ?" 

"  I  believe  I  understand  you,  sir ;  you  mean  me  to  infer  that 
Mr.  Drewett  is  a  suitor  for  Miss  Hardinge's  hand." 


494  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

"  It  would  be  improper  to  say  this  much  even  to  you,  Miles, 
did  not  Drewett  take  good  care,  himself,  to  let  everybody  know 

4.   11 

it. 

"  Possibly  with  a  view  to  keep  off  other  pretenders,"  I  rejoin 
ed,  with  a  bitterness  I  could  not  control. 

Now  Mr.  Hardinge  was  one  of  the  last  men  in  the  world  to 
suspect  evil.  He  looked  surprised,  therefore,  at  my  remark, 
and  I  was  probably  not  much  out  of  the  way  in  fancying  that 
he  looked  displeased. 

"  That  is  not  right,  my  dear  boy,"  he  said  gravely.  "  We 
should  try  to  think  the  best,  and  not  the  worst,  of  our  fellow- 
creatures."  Excellent  old  man,  how  faithfully  didst  thou  prac 
tise  on  thy  precept !  "  It  is  a  wise  rule,  and  a  safe  one  ;  more 
particularly  in  connection  with  our  own  weaknesses.  Then  it 
is  but  natural  that  Drewett  should  wish  to  secure  Lucy ;  and  if 
he  adopt  no  means  less  manly  than  the  frank  avowal  of  his  own 
attachment,  surely  there  is  no  ground  of  complaint." 

I  was  rebuked  ;  and,  what  is  more,  I  felt  that  the  rebuke  was 
merited.  As  some  atonement  for  my  error,  I  hastened  to  add, 

"  Very  truly,  sir;  I  admit  the  unfairness  of  my  remark,  and 
can  only  atone  for  it  by  adding,  it  is  quite  apparent  Mr.  Drewett 
is  not  influenced  by  interested  motives,  since  he  certainly  was 
attentive  to  Miss  Hardinge  previously  to  Mrs.  Bradfort's  death, 
and  when  he  could  not  possibly  have  anticipated  the  nature  of 
her  will." 

"  Quite  true,  Miles,  and  very  properly  and  justly  remarked. 
Now,  to  you,  who  have  known  Lucy  from  childhood,  and  who  re 
gard  her  much  as  Rupert  does,  it  may  not  seem  so  very  natu 
ral  that  a  young  man  can  love  her  warmly  and  strongly,  for 
herself,  alone;  such  is  apt  to  be  the  effect  of  brotherly  feeling; 
but  I  can  assure  you,  Lucy  is  really  a  charming,  as  we  all  know 
she  is  a  most  excellent  girl !" 

"To  whom  are  you  speaking  thus,  sir?  I  can  assure  you, 
nothing  is  easier  than  for  me  to  conceive  how  possible  it  is  for 
any  man  to  love  your  daughter.  As  respects  Grace,  I  confess 
there  is  a  difference ;  for  I  affirm  she  has  always  seemed  to  me 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  495 

too  saintly,  too  much  allied  to  heaven  already,  to  be  subject, 
herself,  to  the  passions  of  earth." 

"  That  is  what  I  have  just  been  telling  you,  and  we  must  en 
deavor  to  overcome  and  humanize — if  I  may  so  express  it — 
Grace's  propensity.  There  is  nothing  more  dangerous  to  a 
healthful  frame  of  mind,  in  a  religious  point  of  view,  Miles,  than 
excitement — it  is  disease,  and  not  faith,  nor  charity,  nor  hope, 
nor  humility,  nor  any  thing  that  is  commanded  ;  but  our  natis  e 
weaknesses  taking  a  wrong  direction,  under  a  physical  impulse, 
rather  than  the  fruits  of  repentance,  and  the  succor  afforded  by 
the  Spirit  of  God.  We  nowhere  read  of  any  excitement,  and 
howlings,  and  wailings  among  the  apostles." 

How  could  I  enlighten  the  good  old  man  on  the  subject  of 
my  sister's  malady  ?  That  Grace,  with  her  well-tempered  mind, 
was  the  victim  of  religious  exaggeration,  I  did  not  for  a  moment 
believe ;  but  that  she  had  had  her  heart  blighted,  her  affections 
withered,  her  hopes  deceived,  by  Rupert's  levity  and  interest- 
edness,  his  worldly-mindedness  and  vanity,  I  could  foresee,  and 
was  prepared  to  learn ;  though  these  were  facts  not  to  be  com 
municated  to  the  father  of  the  offender.  I  made  no  answer,  but 
managed  to  turn  the  conversation  toward  the  farm,  and  those 
interests  about  which  I  could  affect  an  interest  that  I  was  very 
far  from  feeling,  just  at  that  moment.  This  induced  the  divine 
to  inquire  into  the  result  of  my  late  voyage,  and  enabled  me  to 
collect  sufficient  fortitude  to  meet  Grace,  with  the  semblance  of 
firmness,  at  least. 

Mr.  Hardinge  made  a  preconcerted  signal,  as  soon  as  he  came 
in  view  of  the  house,  that  apprised  its  inmates  of  my  arrival ; 
and  we  knew,  while  still  half  a  mile  from  the  buildings,  that  the 
news  had  produced  a  great  commotion.  All  the  blacks  met  us 
on  the  little  lawn — for  the  girls,  since  reaching  womanhood, 
had  made  this  change  in  the  old  door-yard — and  I  had  to  go 
through  the  process  of  shaking  hands  with  every  one  of  them. 
This  was  done  amid  hearty  bursts  of  laughter,  the  mode  in 
which  the  negroes  of  that  day  almost  always  betrayed  their  joy, 
and  many  a  "  welcome  home,  Masser  Mile  !"  and  "  where  a  Xeb 


496  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

got  to,  dis  time,  Masser  Mile  ?"'  was  asked  by  more  than  one ; 
and  great  was  the  satisfaction,  when  I  told  his  generation  and 
race  that  the  faithful  fellow  would  be  up  with  the  cart  that  was 
to  convey  my  luggage.  But  Grace  awaited  me.  I  broke 
through  the  throng,  and  entered  the  house.  In  the  door  I  was 
met  by  Chloe,  a  girl  about  my  own  sister's  age,  and  a  sort  of 
cousin  of  Neb's  by  the  half-blood,  who  had  been  preferred  of 
late  years  to  functions  somewhat  resembling  those  of  a  lady's 
maid.  I  say  of  the  half-blood ;  for,  to  own  the  truth,  few  of 
the  New  York  blacks,  in  that  day,  could  have  taken  from  their 
brothers  and  sisters,  under  the  old  dictum  of  the  common  law, 
which  declared  that  none  but  heirs  of  the  whole  blood  should 
inherit.  Chloe  met  me  in  the  door-way,  and  greeted  me  with 
one  of  her  sweetest  smiles,  as  she  curtsied,  and  really  looked  as 
pleased  as  all  my  slaves  did,  at  seeing  their  young  master  again. 
How  they  touched  my  heart,  at  times,  by  their  manner  of  talk 
ing  about  "  ole  Masser,  and  ole  Missus,"  always  subjects  of  re 
gret  among  negroes  who  had  been  well  treated  by  them.  Meta 
physicians  may  reason  as  subtly  as  they  can  about  the  races  and 
colors,  and  on  the  aptitude  of  the  black  to  acquire,  but  no  one 
can  ever  persuade  me  out  of  the  belief  of  their  extraordinary 
aptitude  to  love.  As  between  themselves  and  their  masters, 
their  own  children  and  those  of  the  race  to  which  they  were 
subject,  I  have  often  seen  instances  which  have  partaken  of  the 
attachment  of  the  dog  to  the  human  family  ;  and  cases  in  which 
the  children  of  their  masters  have  been  preferred  to  those  of 
their  own  flesh  and  blood,  were  of  constant  occurrence. 

"  I  hope  you  been  werry  well,  sah,  Masser  Mile,"  said  Chloe, 
who  had  some  extra  refinement,  as  the  growth  of  her  position. 

"  Perfectly,  my  good  girl,  and  I  am  glad  to  see  you  looking 
so  well — you  really  are  growing  handsome,  Chloe." 

"  Oh  !  Masser  Mile — you  so  droll ! — now  you  stay  home,  sah, 
long  time  ?" 

"  I  am  afraid  not,  Chloe,  but  one  never  knows.  Where  shall 
I  find  my  sister  ?" 

"  Miss  Grace  tell  me  come  here,  Masser  Mile,  and  say  she 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  497 

wisli  to  see  you  in  de  family  room.  She  wait  dere,  now,  some 
time." 

"  Thank  you,  Chloe  ;  and  do  you  see  that  no  one  interrupts 
us.  I  have  not  seen  my  sister  for  near  a  year." 

"  Sartain,  sah ;  all  as  you  say."  Then  the  girl,  whose  face 
shone  like  a  black  bottle  that  had  just  been  dipped  in  water, 
showed  her  brilliant  teeth,  from  ear  to  ear,  laughed  outright, 
looked  foolish,  after  which  she  looked  earnest,  when  the  secret 
burst  out  of  her  heart,  in  the  melodious  voice  of  a  young  ne- 
gress,  that  did  not  know  whether  to  laugh  or  to  cry.  "  Where 
Neb,  Masser  Mile  ?  what  he  do  now,  de  fel-ler  ?" 

"  He  will  kiss  you  in  ten  minutes,  Chloe ;  so  put  the  best 
face  on  the  matter  you  are  able." 

"  Dat  he  won't — de  sauce-box — Miss  Grace  teach  me  better 
dan  dat" 

I  waited  to  hear  no  more,  but  proceeded  toward  the  triangu 
lar  little  room,  with  steps  so  hurried  and  yet  so  nervous,  that  I 
do  not  remember  ever  before  to  have  laid  my  hand  on  a  lock  in 
a  manner  so  tremulous — I  found  myself  obliged  to  pause,  ere 
I  could  muster  resolution  to  open  the  door,  a  hope  coming  ovei 
me  that  the  impatience  of  Grace  would  save  me  the  trouble, 
and  that  I  should  find  her  in  my  arms  before  I  should  be  call 
ed  on  to  exercise  any  more  fortitude.  All  was  still  as  death, 
however,  within  the  room,  and  I  opened  the  door,  as  if  I  ex 
pected  to  find  one  of  the  bodies  I  had  formerly  seen  in  its  coffin, 
in  this  last  abiding  place  above  ground,  of  one  dead.  My  sister 
was  on  the  causeuse,  literally  unable  to  rise  >from  debility  and 
agitation.  I  shall  not  attempt  to  describe  the  shock  her  appear 
ance  gave  me.  I  was  prepared  for  a  change,  but  not  one  that 
placed  her,  as  my  heart  instantly  announced,  so  near  the  grave  ! 

Grace  extended  both  arms,  and  I  threw  myself  at  her  side, 
drew  her  within  my  embrace,  and  folded  her  to  my  heart,  with 
the  tenderness  with  which  one  would  have  embraced  an  infant. 
In  this  situation  we  both  wept  violently,  and  I  am  not  ashamed 
to  say  that  I  sobbed  like  a  child.  I  dare  say  five  minutes  passed 
in  this  way,  without  ei/her  of  us  speaking  a  word. 


498  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

"  A  merciful  and  all-gracious  God  be  praised !  You  are  re 
stored  to  me  in  time,  Miles !"  murmured  my  sister,  at  length. 
"  I  was  afraid  it  might  be  too  late." 

"  Grace  !  Grace  !  what  means  this,  love  ?  My  precious,  my 
only,  my  most  dearly  beloved  sister,  why  do  I  find  you  thus  ?" 

"  Is  it  necessary  to  speak,  Miles  ? — cannot  you  see  ? — do  you 
not  see,  and  understand  it  all  ?" 

The  fervent  pressure  I  gave  my  sister,  announced  how  plainly 
I  comprehended  the  whole  history.  That  Grace  could  evei 
love,  and  forget,  I  did  not  believe ;  but,  that  her  tenderness  for 
Rupert — one  whom  I  knew  for  so  frivolous  and  selfish  a  being, 
should  reduce  her  to  this  terrible  state,  I  had  not  indeed  fore 
seen  as  a  thing  possible.  Little  did  I  then  understand  how 
confidingly  a  woman  loves,  and  how  apt  she  is  to  endow  the 
being  of  her  choice  with  all  the  qualities  she  could  wish  him 
to  possess.  In  the  anguish  of  my  soul  I  muttered,  loud 
enough  to  be  heard,  "  the  heartless  villain  !" 

Grace  instantly  rose  from  my  arms.  At  that  moment  she 
looked  more  like  a  creature  of  heaven,  than  one  that  was  still 
connected  with  this  wicked  world.  Her  beauty  could  scarce 
ly  be  called  impaired,  though  I  dreaded  that  she  would  be 
snatched  away  from  me  in  the  course  of  the  interview  ;  so  frail 
and  weak  did  it  appear  was  her  hold  of  life.  In  some  respects 
I  never  saw  her  more  lovely  than  she  seemed  on  this  very  occa 
sion.  This  was  when  the  hectic  of  disease  imparted  to  the 
sweetest  and  most  saint-like  eyes  that  were  ever  set  in  the  hu 
man  countenance,  a  species  of  holy  illumination.  Her  counte 
nance,  now,  was  pale  and  colorless,  however,  and  her  look  sor 
rowful  and  filled  with  reproach. 

"  Brother,"  she  said,  solemnly,  "  this  must  not  be.  It  is  not 
what  God  commands — it  is  not  what  I  expected  from  you — 
what  I  have  a  right  to  expect  from  one  whom  I  am  assured 
loves  me,  though  none  other  of  earth  can  be  said  to  do  so." 

"  It  is  not  easy,  my  sister,  for  a  man  to  forget  or  forgive  thr. 
wretch  who  has  so  long  misled  you — misled  us  all,  and  then 
turned  to  another,  under  the  impulse  of  mere  vanity." 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHOKE.  499 

"  Miles,  my  kind  and  manly  brother,  listen  to  me,"  Grace 
rejoined,  fervently  pressing  one  of  my  hands  in  both  of  hers, 
and  scarcely  able  to  command  herself,  through  alarm.  "  All 
thoughts  of  anger,  of  resentment,  of  pride  even,  must  be  for 
gotten.  You  owe  it  to  my  sex,  to  the  dreadful  imputations 
that  might  otherwise  rest  on  my  name — had  I  any  thing  to  re 
proach  myself  with  as  a  woman.  I  could  submit  to  any  punish 
ment  ;  but  surely,  surely,  it  is  not  a  sin  so  unpardonable  to  be 
unable  to  command  the  affections,  that  I  deserve  to  have  my 
name,  after  I  shall  be  dead,  mixed  up  with  rumors  connected 
with  such  a  quarrel.  You  have  lived  as  brothers,  too — then 
there  is  good,  excellent,  truthful,  pious  Mr.  Hardinge,  who  is 
yet  my  guardian,  you  know ;  and  Lucy,  dear,  true-hearted, 
faithful  Lucy"— 

"  Why  is  not  dear,  true-hearted,  faithful  Lucy,  here,  watching 
over  you,  Grace,  at  this  very  moment  ?"  I  demanded,  huskily. 

"  She  knows  nothing  of  my  situation — it  is  a  secret,  as  well 
as  its  cause,  from  all  but  God,  myself,  and  you.  Ah !  I  knew  it 
would  be  impossible  to  deceive  your  love,  Miles  !  which  has 
ever  been  to  me,  all  that  a  sister  could  desire." 

"  And  Lucy  !  how  has  her  affection  been  deceived  ?  Has  she 
too,  eyes  only  for  those  she  has  recently  learned  to  admire  ?" 

"  You  do  her  injustice,  brother.  Lucy  has  not  seen  me,  since, 
the  great  change  that  I  can  myself  see  has  come  over  me.  An 
other  time,  I  will  tell  you  all.  At  present  I  can  only  say,  that 
as  soon  as  I  had  certain  explanations  with  Rupert,  I  left  town, 
and  have  studiously  concealed  from  dear  Lucy  the  state  of  my 
declining  health.  I  write  to  her  weekly,  and  get  answers ;  every 
thing  passing  between  us  as  cheerfully,  and,  apparently,  as  hap 
pily  as  ever.  No,  do  not  blame  Lucy  ;  who,  I  am  certain,  would 
quit  every  thing  and  everybody  to  come  to  me,  had  she  the 
smallest  notion  of  the  truth.  On  the  contrary,  I  believe  she 
thinks  I  would  rather  not  have  her  at  Clawbonny,  just  at  this 
moment,  much  as  she  knows  I  love  her;  for,  one  of  Lucy's  ob 
servation  and  opportunities  cannot  but  suspect  the  truth.  Let 
me  lie  on  your  breast,  brother ;  it  wearier  me  to  talk  so  much.'' 


500  AFLOAT     AND     ASHORE. 

I  sat  holding  this  beloved  sister  in  my  arms,  fully  an  hour, 
neither  of  us  speaking.  I  was  afraid  of  injuring  her,  by  further 
excitement,  and  she  was  glad  to  take  refuge  in  silence,  from  the 
feelings  of  maiden  shame  that  could  not  be  otherwise  than 
mingled  with  such  a  dialogue.  As  my  cheek  leaned  on  her 
silken  hair,  I  could  see  large  tears  rolling  down  the  pallid  checks; 
but  the  occasional  pressure  of  the  hands,  told  me  how  much  she 
was  gladdened  by  my  presence.  After  some  ten  or  fifteen  min 
utes,  the  exhausted  girl  dropped  into  feverish  and  disturbed 
slumbers,  that  I  would  have  remained  motionless  throughout  the 
night  to  maintain.  I  am  persuaded  it  was  quite  an  hour  before 
this  scene  terminated.  Grace  then  arose,  and  said,  with  one  of 
her  most  angelic  smiles — 

"  You  see  how  it  is  with  me,  Miles — feeble  as  an  infant,  and 
almost  as  troublesome.  You  must  bear  with  me,  for  you  will 
be  my  nurse.  One  promise  I  must  have,  dearest,  before  we 
leave  this  room." 

"  It  is  yours,  my  sister,  let  it  be  what  it  may ;  I  can  now  re 
fuse  you  nothing,"  said  I,  melted  to  feminine  tenderness.  "  And 
yet,  Grace,  since  you  exact  a  promise,  /  have  a  mind  to  attach 
a  condition." 

"  What  condition,  Miles,  can  you  attach,  that  I  will  refuse  ? 
1  consent  to  every  thing,  without  even  knowing  your  wishes." 

"  Then  I  promise  not  to  call  Rupert  to  an  account  for  his 
conduct — not  to  question  him — nay,  even  not  to  reproach  him," 
I  rejoined,  enlarging  my  pledges,  as  I  saw  by  Grace's  eyes  that 
she  exacted  still  more. 

The  last  promise,  however,  appeared  fully  to  satisfy  her.  Sho 
kissed  my  hand,  and  I  felt  hot  tears  falling  on  it. 

"  Now  name  your  conditions,  dearest  brother,"  she  said,  after 
a  little  time  taken  to  recover  herself;  "  name  them,  and  see  how 
gladly  I  shall  accept  them  all." 

''  I  have  but  one — it  is  this.  I  must  take  the  complete  direc 
tion  of  the  care  of  you — must  have  power  to  send  for  what 
physician  [  please,  what  friends  I  please,  what  advice  or  regimen 
I  please !" 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  501 

"  Oh !  Miles,  you  could  not — cannot  think  of  sending  for 
him!" 

"  Certainly  not ;  his  presence  would  drive  me  from  the  house. 
With  that  one  exception,  then,  my  condition  is  allowed  ?" 

Grace  made  a  sign  of  assent,  and  sunk  on  my  bosom  again, 
nearly  exhausted  with  the  scene  through  which  she  had  just 
gone.  I  perceived  it  would  not  do  to  dwell  any  longer  on  the 
subject  we  had  been  alluding  to,  rather  than  discussing ;  and  for 
another  hour  did  I  sit  sustaining  that  beloved  form,  declining  to 
speak,  and  commanding  silence  on  her  part.  At  the  end  of  this 
second  little  sleep,  Grace  was  more  refreshed  than  she  had  been 
after  her  first  troubled  repose,  and  she  declared  herself  able  to 
walk  to  her  room,  where  she  wished  to  lie  on  her  own  bed  until 
the  hour  of  dinner.  I  summoned  Chloe,  and,  together,  we  led 
the  invalid  to  her  chamber.  As  we  threaded  the  long  passages, 
my  sister's  head  rested  on  my  bosom,  her  eyes  were  turned 
affectionately  upward  to  my  face,  and  several  times  I  felt  the 
gentle  pressure  of  her  emaciated  hands,  given  in  the  fervor  of 
devoted  sisterly  love. 

I  needed  an  hour  to  compose  myself  after  this  interview.  In 
the  privacy  of  my  own  room  I  wept  like  a  child  over  the  wreck 
of  the  being  I  had  left  so  beautiful  and  perfect,  though  even  then 
the  canker  of  doubt  had  begun  to  take  root.  I  had  yet  her  ex 
planations  to  hear,  and  resolved  to  command  myself  so  far  as  to 
receive  them  in  a  manner  not  to  increase  the  pain  Grace  must 
feel  in  making  them.  As  soon  as  sufficiently  calm,  I  sat  down 
to  write  letters.  One  was  to  Marble.  I  desired  him  to  let  the 
second  mate  see  the  ship  discharged,  and  to  come  up  to  me  by 
the  return  of  the  sloop.  I  wished  to  see  him  in  person,  as  I  did 
not  think  I  could  be  able  to  go  out  in  the  vessel  on  her  next 
voyage,  and  I  intended  him  to  sail  in  her  as  master.  It  was 
necessary  we  should  consult  together  personally.  I  did  not  con 
ceal  the  reason  of  this  determination,  though  I  said  nothing  of 
the  cause  of  my  sister's  state.  Marble  had  a  list  of  physicians 
given  him,  and  he  was  to  bring  up  with  him  the  one  he  could 
obtain,  commencing  with  the  first  named  and  following  in  the 


502  AFLOAT      AND     ASHORE. 

order  given.  I  had  earned  ten  thousand  dollars,  net,  by  the 
labors  of  the  past  year,  and  I  determined  every  dollar  of  it  should 
be  devoted  to  obtaining  the  best  advice  the  country  then  afforded. 
I  had  sent  for  such  men  as  Hosack,  Post,  Bayley,  M'Knight, 
Moore,  etc.,  and  even  thought  of  procuring  Rush  from  Phila 
delphia,  but  was  deterred  from  making  the  attempt  by  the  dis 
tance  and  the  pressing  nature  of  the  emergency.  In  1803,  Phila 
delphia  was  about  three  days'  journey  from  Clawbonny,  even 
allowing  for  a  favorable  time  on  the  river,  with  a  moderately 
unfavorable,  five  or  six,  whereas  the  distance  can  now  be  passed, 
including  the  chances  of  meeting  the  departures  and  arrivals  of 
the  different  lines,  in  from  twelve  to  fifteen  hours.  Such  is  one 
of  the  prodigious  effects  of  an  improved  civilization ;  and  in  all 
that  relates  to  motion,  and  which  falls  short  of  luxury,  or  great 
personal  comfort,  this  country  takes  a  high  place  in  the  scale  of 
nations.  That  it  is  as  much  in  arrears  in  other  great  essentials, 
however,  particularly  in  what  relates  to  tavern  comforts,  no  man 
who  is  familiar  with  the  better  civilization  of  Europe  can  deny. 
It  is  a  singular  fact  that  we  have  gone  backward  in  this  last  par 
ticular  within  the  present  century,  and  all  owing  to  the  increas 
ingly  gregarious  habits  of  the  population.  But  to  return  to  my 
painful  theme,  from  which,  even  at  this  distance  of  time,  I  am 
only  too  ready  to  escape. 

I  was  on  the  point  of  writing  to  Lucy,  but  hesitated.  I  hardly 
knew  whether  to  summon  her  to  Clawbonny  or  not.  That  she 
would  come,  and  that  instantly,  the  moment  she  was  apprised  of 
Grace's  condition,  I  did  not  in  the  least  doubt.  I  was  not  so 
mad  as  to  do  her  character  injustice,  because  I  had  my  doubts 
about  being  loved  as  I  had  once  hoped  to  be.  That  Lucy  was 
attached  to  me,  in  one  sense,  I  did  not  in  the  least  doubt ;  this 
her  late  reception  of  me  sufficiently  proved,  and  I  could  not 
question  her  continued  affection  for  Grace  after  all  the  latter  had 
just  told  me.  Even  did  Lucy  prefer  Andrew  Drcwett,  it  was  no 
proof  she  was  not  just  as  kind-hearted,  as  ready  to  be  of  service, 
and  as  true  in  her  friendship,  as  she  ever  had  been.  Still,  she 
was  Rupert's  sister,  must  have  penetration  enough  to  understand 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  503 

the  cause  of  Grace's  illness,  and  might  not  enter  as  fully  into  her 
wrongs  as  one  could  wish  in  a  person  that  was  to  watch  the  sick 
pillow.  I  resolved  to  learn  more  that  day,  before  this  portion  of 
my  duty  was  discharged. 

Neb  was  summoned  and  sent  to  the  wharf  with  an  order  to 
get  the  Wallingford  ready  to  sail  for  town  at  the  first  favorable 
moment.  The  sloop  was  merely  to  be  in  ballast,  and  was  to  re 
turn  to  Clawbonny  with  no  unnecessary  delay.  There  was  an 
eminent  but  retired  physician  of  the  name  of  Bard,  who  had  a 
country  residence  on  the  other  bank  of  the  Hudson,  and  within 
a  few  hours'  sail  from  Clawbonny.  I  knew  his  character,  though 
I  was  not  acquainted  with  him  personally.  Few  of  us  of  the 
right  bank,  indeed,  belonged  to  the  circles  of  the  left  in  that  day ; 
the  increasing  wealth  and  population  of  the  country  have  since 
brought  the  western  side  into  more  notice.  I  wrote  also  to  Dr. 
Bard,  inclosing  a  check  for  a  suitable  fee,  made  a  strong  ap 
peal  to  his  feelings — which  would  have  been  quite  sufficient  with 
such  a  man — and  ordered  Neb  to  go  out  in  the  Grace  and  Lucy 
immediately  to  deliver  the  message.  Just  as  this  arrangement 
was  completed,  Chloe  came  to  summon  me  to  my  sister's  room. 

I  found  Grace  still  lying  on  her  bed,  but  stronger,  and  mate 
rially  refreshed.  For  a  moment  I  began  to  think  my  fears  had 
exaggerated  the  danger,  and  that  I  was  not  to  lose  my  sister.  A 
few  minutes  of  close  observation,  however,  convinced  me  that 
the  first  impression  was  the  true  one.  I  am  not  skilled  in  the 
theories  of  the  science,  if  there  be  any  great  science  about  it, 
and  can  hardly  explain  even  now  the  true  physical  condition  of 
Grace.  She  had  pent  up  her  sufferings  in  her  own  bosom  for 
six  cruol  months  in  the  solitude  of  a  country-house,  living  most 
of  the  time  entirely  alone,  and  this,  they  tell  me,  is  what  few 
uven  of  the  most  robust  frames  can  do  with  impunity.  Frail  as 
she  had  ever  seemed,  her  lungs  were  sound,  and  she  spoke  easily 
and  with  almost  all  her  original  force,  so  that  her  wasting  away 
was  not  the  consequence  of  any  thing  pulmonary.  I  rather  think 
the  physical  effects  were  to  be  traced  to  the  unhealthy  action  of 
the  fluids,  which  were  deranged  through  the  stomach  and  spleen. 


504  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

The  insensible  perspiration  was  affected  also,  I  believe,  the  pores 
of  the  skin  failing  to  do  their  duty.  I  dare  say  there  is  not  a 
graduate  of  the  thousand  and  one  medical  colleges  of  the  country 
who  is  not  prepared  to  laugh  at  this  theory,  while  unable,  quite 
likely,  to  produce  a  better — so  much  easier  is  it  to  pull  down  than 
to  build  up ;  but  my  object  is  merely  to  give  the  reader  a  general 
idea  of  my  poor  sister's  situation.  In  outward  appearance,  her 
countenance  denoted  that  expression  which  the  French  so  well 
describe  by  the  customary  term  of  "fatigue"  rather  than  any 
other  positive  indication  of  disease — Grace's  frame  was  so  deli 
cate  by  nature,  that  a  little  falling  away  was  not  as  perceptible 
in  her  as  it  would  have  been  in  most  persons,  though  her  beau 
tiful  little  hands  wanted  that  fulness  which  had  rendered  their 
taper  fingers  and  roseate  tint  formerly  so  very  faultless.  There 
must  have  been  a  good  deal  of  fever,  as  her  color  was  often 
higher  than  was  formerly  usual.  It  was  this  circumstance  that 
continued  to  render  her  beauty  even  unearthly,  without  its  being 
accompanied  by  the  emaciation  so  common  in  the  latter  stages 
of  pulmonary  disease,  though  its  tendency  was  strongly  to  un 
dermine  her  strength. 

Grace,  without  rising  from  her  pillow,  now  asked  me  for  an 
outline  of  my  late  voyage.  She  heard  me,  I  make  no  doubt, 
with  real  interest,  for  all  that  concerned  me,  in  a  measure  con 
cerned  her.  Her  smile  was  sweetness  itself,  as  she  listened  to 
my  successes ;  and  the  interest  she  manifested  in  Marble,  with 
whose  previous  history  she  was  well  acquainted,  was  not  less 
than  I  had  felt  myself,  in  hearing  his  own  account  of  his  adven 
tures.  All  this  delighted  me,  as  it  went  to  prove  that  I  had  be 
guiled  the  sufferer  from  brooding  over  her  own  sorrows;  and 
what  might  not  be  hoped  for,  could  we  lead  her  back  to  mingle 
in  the  ordinary  concerns  of  life,  and  surround  her  with  the  few 
friends  she  so  tenderly  loved,  and  whose  absence,  perhaps,  had 
largely  contributed  to  reducing  her  to  her  present  state?  This 
thought  recalled  Lucy  to  my  minJ,  and  the  wish  T  had  to  ascertain 
how  far  it  mi^ht  be  agreeable  to  the  latter,  to  be  summoned  to 
Clawbonny.  I  determined  to  lead  the  conversation  to  this  subject. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  505 

"  You  have  told  me,  Grace,"  I  said,  "  that  you  send  and  re 
ceive  letters  weekly,  to  and  from  Lucy  ?" 

"  Each  time  the  Wallingford  goes  and  comes ;  and  that,  yoi; 
know,  is  weekly.  I  suppose  the  reason  I  got  no  letter  to-day 
was  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  sloop  sailed  before  her  time.  The 
Lord  High  Admiral  was  on  board ;  and,  like  wind  and  tide,  he 
waits  for  no  man  !" 

"  Bless  you — bless  you,  dearest  sister — this  gayety  removes  a 
mountain  from  my  heart !" 

Grace  looked  pleased  at  first ;  then,  as  she  gazed  wistfully  into 
my  face,  I  could  see  her  own  expression  change  to  one  of  melan 
choly  concern.  Large  tears  started  from  her  eyes,  and  three  or 
four  followed  each  other  down  her  cheeks.  All  this  said,  plaine. 
than  words,  that,  though  a  fond  brother  might  be  momentarily 
deceived,  she  herself  foresaw  the  end.  I  bowed  my  head  to  the 
pillow,  stifled  the  groans  that  oppressed  me,  and  kissed  the 
tears  from  her  cheeks.  To  put  an  end  to  these  distressing 
scenes,  I  determined  to  be  more  business-like  in  future,  and  sup 
press  all  feeling,  as  much  as  possible. 

"  The  Lord  High  Admiral,"  I  resumed,  "  is  a  species  of  Turk, 
on  board  ship,  as  honest  Moses  Marble  will  tell  you,  when  you 
see  him,  Grace.  But,  now  for  Lucy  and  her  letters — I  dare  say 
the  last  are  filled  with  tender  secrets,  touching  such  persons 
as  Andrew  Drewett,  and  others  of  her  admirers,  which  render  it 
improper  to  show  any  of  them  to  me  ?" 

Grace  looked  at  me,  with  earnestness,  as  if  to  ascertain 
whether  I  was  really  as  unconcerned  as  I  affected  to  be.  Then 
she  seemed  to  muse,  picking  the  cotton  of  the  spotless  counter 
pane  on  which  she  was  lying,  like  one  at  a  loss  what  to  say  or 
think. 

"I  see  how  it  is,"  I  resumed,  forcing  a  smile;  "the  hint  has 
been  indiscreet.  A  rough  son  of  Neptune  is  not  the  proper  con 
fidant  for  the  secrets  of  Miss  Lucy  Hardingc.  Perhaps  you  are 
right ;  fidelity  to  each  other  being  indispensable  in  your  sex." 

"  It  is  not  that,  Miles.  I  doubt  if  Lucy  ever  wrote  me  a  line 
that  you  might  not  see  ;  in  proof  of  which,  you  shall  have  the 
22 


506  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

package  of  her  letters,  with  full  permission  to  read  every  one 
of  them.  It  will  be  like  reading  the  correspondence  of  another 
sisfer." 

I  fancied  Grace  laid  an  emphasis  on  the  last  word  she  used ; 
and  I  started  at  its  unwelcome  sound — unwelcome,  as  applied 
to  Lucy  Hardinge,  to  a  degree  that  I  cannot  express.  I  had 
observed  that  Lucy  never  used  any  of  these  terms,  as  connected 
with  me,  and  it  was  one  of  the  reasons  why  I  had  indulged  in 
the  folly  of  supposing  that  she  was  conscious  of  a  tenderer  sen 
timent.  But  Lucy  was  so  natural,  so  totally  free  from  exagger 
ation,  so  just  and  true  in  all  her  feelings,  that  one  could  not 
expect  from  her  most  of  the  acts  of  girlish  weakness.  As  for 
Grace,  she  called  Chloe,  gave  her  the  keys  of  her  secretary,  and 
told  her  to  bring  me  the  package  she  described. 

"  Go  and  look  over  them,  Miles,"  said  my  sister,  as  I  received 
the  letters ;  (;  there  must  be  more  than  twenty  of  them,  and  you 
can  read  half  before  the  dinner  hour.  I  will  meet  you  at  table ; 
and  let  me  implore  you  not  to  alarm  good  Mr.  Hardinge.  He 
does  not  believe  me  seriously  ill ;  and  it  cannot  benefit  him  or 
me  to  cause  him  pain." 

I  promised  discretion,  and  hastened  to  my  own  room  with 
the  precious  bundle  of  Lucy's  letters.  Shall  I  own  the  truth  ? 
I  kissed  the  papers,  fervently,  before  they  were  loosened,  and  it 
seemed  to  me  I  possessed  a  treasure,  in  holding  in  my  hand  so 
many  of  the  dear  girl's  epistles.  I  commenced  in  the  order  of 
the  date,  and  began  to  read  with  eagerness.  It  was  impossible 
for  Lucy  Hardinge  to  write  to  one  she  loved,  and  not  exhibit 
the  truth  and  nature  of  her  feelings.  These  appeared  in  every 
paragraph  in  which  it  was  proper  to  make  any  alliftions  of  the 
sort.  But  the  letters  had  other  charms.  It  was  apparent 
throughout,  that  the  writer  was  ignorant  that  she  wrote  to  an 
invalid,  though  she  could  not  but  know  that  she  wrote  to  a  re 
cluse.  Her  aim  evidently  was  to  amuse  Grace,  of  whose  mental 
sufferings  she  could  not  well  be  ignorant.  Lucy  was  a  keen  ob 
server,  and  her  epistles  were  filled  with  amusing  comments  on 
the  follies  that  were  daily  committed  in  New  York,  as  well  as 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  507 

in  Paris  or  London.  I  was  delighted  with  the  delicate  pungen 
cy  of  her  satire,  which,  however,  was  totally  removed  from  vul 
gar  scandal.  There  was  nothing  in  these  letters  that  might  not 
have  been  uttered  in  a  drawing-room,  to  any  but  the  persons 
concerned ;  and  yet  they  were  filled  with  a  humor  that  rose 
often  to  wit,  relieved  by  a  tact  and  taste  that  a  man  never  could 
have  attained.  Throughout,  it  was  apparent  to  me,  Lucy,  in  or 
der  to  amuse  Grace,  was  giving  full  scope  to  a  natural  talent — 
one  that  far  surpassed  the  same  capacity  in  her  brother,  being 
as  true  as  his  was  meretricious  and  Jesuitical — which  she  had 
hitherto  concealed  from  us  all,  merely  because  she  had  not  seen 
an  occasion  fit  for  its  use.  Allusions  in  the  letters,  themselves, 
proved  that  Grace  had  commented  on  this  unexpected  display 
of  observant  humor,  and  had  expressed  her  surprise  at  its  exist 
ence.  It  was  then  as  novel  to  my  sister  as  it  was  to  myself.  1 
was  struck  also  with  the  fact,  that  Rupert's  name  did  not  ap 
pear  once  in  all  these  letters.  They  embraced  just  twenty-seven 
weeks,  between  the  earliest  and  the  latest  date ;  and  there  were 
nine-and-twenty  letters,  two  having  been  sent  by  private  convey 
ances  ;  her  father's,  most  probably,  he  occasionally  making  the 
journey  by  land  ;  yet  no  one  of  them  contained  the  slightest  al 
lusion  to  her  brother,  or  to  either  of  the  Mertons.  This  was 
enough  to  let  me  know  how  well  Lucy  understood  the  reason  of 
Grace's  withdrawal  to  Clawbonny. 

"  And  how  is  it  with  Miles  Wallingford's  name  ?"  some  of  my 
fair  readers  may  be  ready  to  ask.  I  went  carefully  through  the 
package  in  the  course  of  the  evening,  and  I  set  aside  two,  as  the 
only  exceptions  in  which  my  name  did  not  appear.  On  exam 
ining  these  two  with  jealous  care,  I  found  each  had  a  postscript, 
one  of  which  was  to  the  following  effect :  "  I  see  by  the  papers 
that  Miles  has  sailed  for  Malta,  having  at  last  left  those  stubborn 
Turks.  I  am  glad  of  this,  as  one  would  not  wish  to  have  the 
excellent  fellow  shut  up  in  the  Seven  Towers,  however  honorable 
it  may  have  been."  The  other  postscript  contained  this  :  "  Dear 
Miles  has  got  to  Leghorn,  my  father  tells  me,  and  may  be  ex 
pected  home  this  summer.  How  great  happiness  this  will  bring 


508  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

you,  dearest  Grace,  I  can  well  understand ;  and  I  need  scarcely 
say  that  no  one  will  rejoice  more  to  see  him  again  than  his  late 
guardian  and  myself." 

That  the  papers  were  often  looked  over  to  catch  reports  of 
my  movements  in  Europe,  by  means  of  ships  arriving  from  dif 
ferent  parts  of  the  world,  was  apparent  enough ;  but  I  scarce 
knew  what  to  make  of  the  natural  and  simply  affectionate  man 
ner  in  which  my  name  was  introduced.  It  might  proceed  from 
a  wish  to  gratify  Grace,  and  a  desire  to  let  the  sister  know  all 
that  she  herself  possessed  touching  the  brother's  movements. 
Then  Andrew  Drewett's  name  occurred  very  frequently,  though 
it  was  generally  in  connection  with  that  of  his  mother,  who 
had  evidently  constituted  herself  a  sort  of  regular  chaperone  for 
Lucy,  more  especially  during  the  time  she  was  kept  out  of  the 
gay  world  by  her  mourning.  I  read  several  of  these  passages 
with  the  most  scrupulous  attention,  in  order  to  detect  the  feel 
ing  with  which  they  had  been  written ;  but  the  most  practised 
art  could  not  have  more  successfully  concealed  any  secret  of 
this  sort,  than  Lucy's  nature.  This  often  proves  to  be  the 
case;  the  just-minded  and  true  among  men  daily  becoming  the 
profoundest  mysteries  to  a  vicious,  cunning,  deceptive,  and  self 
ish  world.  An  honest  man,  indeed,  is  ever  a  paradox  to  all  but 
those  who  see  things  with  his  own  eyes.  This  is  the  reason  that 
improper  motives  are  so  often  imputed  to  the  simplest  and 
seemingly  most  honest  deeds. 

The  result  was,  to  write,  entreating  Lucy  to  come  to  Claw- 
bonny  ;  first  taking  care  to  secure  her  father's  assent,  to  aid  my 
request.  This  was  done  in  a  way  not  to  awaken  any  alarm, 
and  yet  with  sufficient  strength  to  render  it  tolerably  certain 
she  would  come.  On  deliberate  reflection,  and  after  seeing  my 
sister  at  table,  where  she  ate  nothing  but  a  light  vegetable  diet, 
and  passing  the  evening  with  her,  I  thought  I  could  not  do  less 
in  justice  to  the  invalid  or  her  friend.  I  took  the  course  with 
great  regret  on  several  accounts ;  and,  among  others,  from  a  re 
luctance  to  appear  to  draw  Lucy  away  from  the  society  of  my 
rival,  into  my  own.  Yet  what  right  had  I  to  call  myself  the 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  509 

rival  or  competitor  of  a  man  who  had  openly  professed  an  at 
tachment,  where  I  had  never  breathed  a  syllable  myself  that 
might  not  readily  be  mistaken  for  the  language  of  that  friend 
ship,  which  time,  and  habit,  and  a  respect  for  each  other's  qual 
ities,  so  easily  awaken  among  the  young  of  different  sexes  ?  I 
had  been  educated  almost  as  Lucy's  brother ;  and  why  should 
she  not  feel  toward  me  as  one  ? 

Neb  went  out  in  the  boat  as  soon  as  he  got  his  orders,  and 
the  Wallingford  sailed  again  in  ballast  that  very  night.  She 
did  not  remain  at  the  wharf  an  hour  after  her  wheat  was  out.  I 
felt  easier  when  these  duties  were  discharged,  and  was  better  pre 
pared  to  pass  the  night  in  peace.  Grace's  manner  and  appear 
ance,  too,  contributed  to  this  calm ;  for  she  seemed  to  revive, 
and  to  experience  some  degree  of  earthly  happiness,  in  having 
her  brother  near  her.  When  Mr.  Hardinge  read  prayers  that 
night,  she  came  to  the  chair  where  I  stood,  took  my  hand  in 
hers,  and  knelt  at  my  side.  I  was  touched  to  tears  by  this  act 
of  affection,  which  spoke  as  much  of  the  tenderness  of  the 
sainted  and  departed  spirit,  lingering  around  those  it  had  loved 
on  earth,  as  of  the  affection  of  the  world.  I  folded  the  dear 
girl  to  my  bosom,  as  I  left  her  at  the  door  of  her  own  room 
that  night,  and  went  to  my  own  pillow,  with  a  heavy  heart. 
Seamen  pray  little ;  less  than  they  ought,  amid  the  rude  scenes 
of  their  hazardous  lives.  Still,  I  had  not  quite  forgotten  the 
lessons  of  childhood,  and  sometimes  I  practised  on  them.  That 
night  I  prayed  fervently,  beseeching  God  to  spare  my  sister,  if 
in  his  wisdom  it  were  meet ;  and  I  humbly  invoked  his  bless 
ings  on  the  excellent  divine,  and  on  Lucy,  by  name.  I  am  not 
ashamed  to  own  it,  let  who  may  deride  the  act. 


610  AFLOAT     AND      ASHOR.B. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

"  Wherever  sorrow  is,  relief  would  be ; 
If  you  do  sorrow  at  my  grief  in  love, 
By  giving  love,  your  sorrow  and  tny  grief 
Were  both  extermin'd." 

As  Ton  LIKK  IT. 

I  SAW  but  little  of  Grace,  during  the  early  part  of  the  suc 
ceeding  day.  She  had  uniformly  breakfasted  in  her  own  room, 
of  late,  and,  in  the  short  visit  I  paid  her  there,  I  found  her  com 
posed,  with  an  appearance  of  renewed  strength  that  encouraged 
me  greatly,  as  to  the  future.  Mr.  Hardinge  insisted  on  render 
ing  an  account  of  his  stewardship,  that  morning,  and  1  let  the 
good  divine  have  his  own  way  ;  though,  had  he  asked  me  for 
a  receipt  in  full,  I  would  cheerfully  have  given  it  to  him,  with 
out  examining  a  single  item.  There  was  a  singular  peculiarity 
about  Mr.  Hardinge.  No  one  could  live  less  for  the  world 
generally ;  no  one  was  less  qualified  to  superintend  extensive 
worldly  interests,  that  required  care,  or  thought ;  and  no  one 
would  have  been  a  more  unsafe  executor  in  matters  that  were 
intricate  or  involved  :  still,  in  the  mere  business  of  accounts,  he 
was  as  methodical  and  exact  as  the  most  faithful  banker.  Rigid 
ly  honest,  and  with  a  strict  regard  for  the  rights  of  others,  living 
moreover  on  a  mere  pittance,  for  the  greater  part  of  his  life,  this 
conscientious  divine  never  contracted  a  debt  he  could  not  pay. 
What  rendered  this  caution  more  worthy  of  remark,  was  the 
fact  that  he  had  a  spendthrift  son  ;  but  even  Rupert  could  never 
lure  him  into  any  weakness  of  this  sort.  I  question  if  his  actual 
cash  receipts,  independently  of  the  profits  of  his  little  glebe, 
exceeded  $300  in  any  one  year;  yet,  he  and  his  children  were 
ever  well  dressed  and  I  knew  from  observation  that  his  table 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  511 

was  always  sufficiently  supplied.  He  got  a  few  presents  occa 
sionally,  from  his  parishioners,  it  is  true ;  but  they  did  not 
amount  to  any  sum  of  moment.  It  was  method,  and  a  deter 
mination  not  to  anticipate  his  income,  that  placed  him  so  much 
above  the  world,  while  he  had  a  family  to  support ;  whereas, 
now  that  Mrs.  Bradfort's  fortune  was  in  the  possession  of  his 
children,  he  assured  me  he  felt  himself  quite  rich,  though  he 
scrupulously  refused  to  appropriate  one  dollar  of  the  handsome 
income  that  passed  through  his  hands  as  executor,  to  his  own 
uses.  It  was  all  Lucy's,  who  was  entitled  to  receive  this  income 
even  in  her  minority,  and  to  her  he  paid  every  cent,  quarterly ; 
the  sister  providing  for  Rupert's  ample  wants. 

Of  course,  I  found  every  thing  exact  to  a  farthing ;  the  nec 
essary  papers  were  signed,  the  power  of  attorney  was  cancelled, 
and  I  entered  fully  into  the  possession  of  my  own.  An  unex 
pected  rise  in  the  value  of  flour  had  raised  my  shore  receipts 
that  year  to  the  handsome  sum  of  nine  thousand  dollars.  This 
was  not  properly  income,  however,  but  profits,  principally  ob 
tained  through  the  labor  of  the  mill.  By  putting  all  my  loose 
cash  together,  I  found  I  could  command  fully  $30,000,  in  addi 
tion  to  the  price  of  the  ship.  This  sum  was  making  me  a  man 
quite  at  my  ease,  and,  properly  managed,  it  opened  a  way  to 
wealth.  How  gladly  would  I  have  given  every  cent  of  it,  to 
see  Grace  as  healthy  and  happy  as  she  was  when  I  left  her  at 
Mrs.  Bradfort's,  to  sail  in  the  Crisis ! 

After  settling  the  figures,  Mr.  Hardinge  and  I  mounted  our 
horses,  and  rode  over  the  property  to  take  a  look  at  the  state  of 
the  farm.  Our  road  took  us  near  the  little  rectory  and  the 
glebe ;  and,  here,  the  simple-minded  divine  broke  out  into 
ecstasies  on  the  subject  of  the  beauties  of  his  own  residence, 
and  the  delight  with  which  he  should  now  return  to  his  ancient 
abode.  He  loved  Clawbonny  no  less  than  formerly,  but  he 
loved  the  rectory  more. 

"  I  was  bom  in  that  humble,  snug,  quiet  old  stone  cottage, 
Miles,"  he  said,  "  and  there  I  lived  for  years  a  happy  husband 
and  father,  and  I  hope  I  may  say  a  faithful  shepherd  of  my  lit- 


512  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

tie  flock.  St.  Michael's,  Clawbonny,  is  not  Trinity,  New  York, 
but  it  may  prove,  on  a  small  scale  as  to  numbers,  as  fitting  a 
nursery  of  saints.  What  humble  and  devout  Christians  have  I 
known  to  kneel  at  its  little  altar,  Miles,  among  whom  your 
mother,  and  your  venerable  old  grandmother,  were  two  of  the 
best.  I  hope  the  day  is  not  distant  when  I  shall  meet  there 
another  Mrs.  Miles  Wallingford.  Marry  young,  my  boy  ;  enrly 
marriages  prove  happier  than  late,  where  there  are  the  means 
of  subsistence." 

"  You  would  not  have  me  marry,  until  I  can  find  a  woman 
whom  I  shall  truly  love,  dear  sir?" 

"  Heaven  forbid !  I  would  rather  see  you  a  bachelor  to  my 
dying  day.  But  America  has  enough  females  that  a  youth,  like 
you,  could,  and  indeed  ought  to  love.  I  could  direct  you  to 
fifty,  myself." 

"-  Well,  sir,  your  recommendations  would  have  great  weight 
with  me.  I  wish  you  would  begin." 

"  That  I  will,  that  I  will,  if  you  wish  it,  my  dear  boy.  Well, 
there  is  a  Miss  Hervey,  Miss  Kate  Hervey,  in  town  ;  a  girl  of  ex 
cellent  qualities,  and  who  would  just  suit  you,  could  you  agree." 

"  I  recollect  the  young  lady  ;  the  greatest  objection  I  should 
raise  to  her,  is  a  want  of  personal  attractions.  Of  all  Mrs. 
Bradfort's  acquaintances,  I  think  she  was  among  the  very 
plainest." 

"  What  is  beauty,  Miles  ?  In  marriage,  very  different  recom 
mendations  are  to  be  looked  for  by  the  husband." 

"Yet,  I  have  understood  you  practised  on  another  theory; 
Mrs.  Hardinge,  even  as  I  recollect  her,  was  very  handsome." 

"  Yes,  that  is  true,"  answered  the  good  divine,  simply  ;  "  she 
was  so ;  but  beauty  is  not  to  be  considered  as  an  objection.  If 
you  do  not  relish  the  idea  of  Kate  Hervey,  what  do  you  say  to 
Jane  Harwood — there  is  a  pretty  girl  for  you." 

"  A  pretty  girl,  sir,  but  not  for  me.  But,  in  naming  so  many 
young  ladies,  why  do  you  overlook  your  own  daughter?" 

I  said  this  with  a  sort  of  desperate  resolution,  tempted  by 
the  opportunity,  and  the  direction  the  discourse  had  taken. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  513 

When  it  was  uttered,  I  repented  of  my  temerity,  and  almost 
trembled  to  hear  the  answer. 

"  Lucy  !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Hardinge,  turning  suddenly  toward 
me,  and  looking  so  intently  and  earnestly  in  my  face,  that  I 
saw  the  possibility  of  such  a  thing  then  struck  him  for  the  first 
time.  "  Sure  enough,  why  should  you  not  marry  Lucy  ?  There 
is  not  a  particle  of  relationship  between  you,  after  all,  though  I 
have  so  long  considered  you  as  brother  and  sister.  I  wish  wo 
had  thought  of  this  earlier,  Miles ;  it  would  be  a  most  capital 
connection — though  I  should  insist  on  your  quitting  the  sea. 
Lucy  has  too  affectionate  a  heart,  to  be  always  in  distress  for  an 
absent  husband.  I  wonder  the  possibility  of  this  thing  did  not 
strike  me,  before  it  was  too  late ;  in  a  man  so  much  accustomed 
to  see  what  is  going  on  around  me,  to  overlook  this  !" 

The  words  "  too  late,"  sounded  to  me  like  the  doom  of  fate ; 
and  had  my  simple-minded  companion  but  the  tithe  of  the  ob 
servation  which  he  so  much  vaunted,  he  must  have  seen  my 
agitation.  I  had  advanced  so  far,  however,  that  I  determined 
to  learn  the  worst,  whatever  pain  it  might  cost  me. 

"  I  suppose,  sir,  the  very  circumstance  that  we  were  brought  up 
together  has  prevented  us  all  from  regarding  the  thing  as  possi 
ble.  But,  why  'too  late,'  my  excellent  guardian,  if  we  who  are  the 
most  interested  in  the  thing  should  happen  to  think  otherwise  ?" 

"  Certainly  not  too  late,  if  you  include  Lucy,  herself,  in  your 
conditions ;  but  I  am  afraid,  Miles,  it  is  '  too  late'  for  Lucy." 

"  Am  I  to  understand,  then,  that  Miss  Hardinge  is  engaged 
to  Mr.  Drewett  ?  Are  her  affections  enlisted  in  his  behalf  2" 

"  You  may  be  certain  of  one  thing,  boy,  and  that  is,  if  Lucy 
be  engaged,  her  affections  are  enlisted — so  conscientious  a  young 
woman  would  never  marry  without  giving  her  heart  with  her 
hand.  As  for  the  fact,  however.  I  know  nothing,  except  by 
inference.  I  do  suppose  a  mutual  attachment  to  exist  between 
her  and  Andrew  Drewett." 

"  Of  course  with  good  reason,  sir.  Lucy  is  not  a  coquette, 
or  a  girl  to  encourage  when  she  does  not  mean  to  accept." 

"That's  all  I  know  of  the  matter.  Drewett  continues  to 
22* 


514  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

visit ;  is  as  attentive  as  a  young  man  well  can  be,  where  a  young 
woman  is  as  scrupulous  as  is  Lucy  about  the  proper  forms,  and 
I  infer  they  .understand  each  other.  I  have  thought  of  speaking 
to  Lucy  on  the  subject,  but  I  do  not  wish  to  influence  her  judg 
ment,  in  a  case  where  there  exists  no  objection.  Drewett  is 
every  way  a  suitable  match,  and  I  wish  things  to  take  their  own 
course.  There  is  one  little  circumstance,  however,  that  I  can 
mention  to  you  as  a  sort  of  son,  Miles,  and  which  I  consider 
conclusive  as  to  the  girl's  inclinations — I  have  remarked  that  she 
refuses  all  expedients  to  get  her  to  be  alone  with  Drewett ,  re 
fuses  to  make  excursions  in  which  she  must  be  driven  in  his 
curricle,  or  to  go  anywhere  with  him,  even  to  the  next  door. 
So  particular  is  she,  that  she  contrives  never  to  be  alone  with 
him,  even  in  his  many  visits  to  the  house." 
.  "  And  do  you  consider  that  as  a  proof  of  attachment  ? — of 
her  being  engaged  ?  Does  your  own  experience,  sir,  confirm 
such  a  notion  ?" 

"  What  else  can  it  be,  if  it  be  not  a  consciousness  of  a  pas 
sion — of  an  attachment  that  she  is  afraid  every  one  will  see  ? 
You  do  not  understand  the  sex,  I  perceive,  Miles,  or  the  fineness 
of  their  natures  would  be  more  apparent  to  you.  As  for  my 
experience,  no  conclusion  can  be  drawn  from  that,  as  I  and  my 
dear  wife  were  thrown  together  very  young,  all  alone,  in  her 
mother's  country-house;  and  the  old  lady  being  bed  ridden, 
there  was  no  opportunity  for  the  bashful  maiden  to  betray  this 
consciousness.  But,  if  I  understand  human  nature,  such  is  the 
secret  of  Lucy's  feelings  toward  Andrew  Drewett.  It  is  of  no 
great  moment  to  you,  Miles,  notwithstanding,  as  there  are  plenty 
more  young  women  to  be  had  in  the  world." 

"True,  sir;  but  there  is  only  one  Lucy  Hardinge !"  I  rejoined, 
with  a  fervor  and  strength  of  utterance  that  betrayed  more  than 
I  intended. 

My  late  guardian  actually  stopped  his  horse  this  time,  to  look 
at  me,  and  I  could  perceive  deep  concern  gathering  around  his 
usually  serene  and  placid  brow.  He  began  to  penetrate  my  feel 
ings,  and  I  believe  they  caused  him  real  grief. 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  515 

"I  never  could  have  dreamed  of  this  !"  Mr.  Hardinge  at  length 
exclaimed.  "  Do  you  really  love  Lucy,  my  dear  Miles?" 

"  Better  than  I  do  my  own  life,  sir — I  almost  worship  the 
earth  she  treads  on — love  her  with  my  whole  heart,  and  have 
loved,  I  believe,  if  the  truth  were  known,  ever  since  I  was  six 
teen — perhaps  I  had  better  say,  twelve  years  old  !" 

The  truth  escaped  me,  as  the  torrent  of  the  Mississippi  breaks 
through  the  levee,  and  a  passage  once  open  for  its  exit,  it  clear 
ed  a  way  for  itself,  until  the  current  of  my  feelings  left  no  doubt 
of  its  direction.  I  believe  I  was  a  little  ashamed  of  my  own 
weakness,  for  I  caused  my  horse  to  walk  forward,  Mr.  Hardinge 
accompanying  the  movement,  for  a  considerable  distance,  in  a 
profound,  and  I  doubt  not,  a  painful  silence. 

"  This  has  taken  me  altogether  by  surprise,  Miles,"  my  late 
guardian  resumed .;  "  altogether  by  surprise.  What  would  I  not 
give  could  this  have  been  known  a  year  or  two  since  !  My  dear 
boy,  I  feel  for  you,  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart,  for  I  can  un 
derstand  what  it  must  be  to  love  a  girl  like  Lucy,  without  hope. 
Why  did  you  not  let  this  be  known  sooner — or,  why  did  you 
insist  on  going  to  sea,  having  so  strong  a  motive  for  remaining 
at  home  ?" 

"  I  was  too  young,  at  that  time,  sir,  to  act  on,  or  even  to  un 
derstand  my  own  feelings.  On  my  return,  in  the  Crisis,  I  found 
Lucy  in  a  set  superior  to  that  in  which  I  was  born  and  educated, 
and  it  would  have  been  a  poor  proof  of  my  attachment  to  wish 
to  biing  her  down  nearer  to  my  own  level." 

"  I  understand  you,  Miles,  and  can  appreciate  the  generosity 
of  your  conduct;  though  I  am  afraid  it  would  have  been  too 
late  on  your  return  in  the  Crisis.  That  was  only  a  twelvemonth 
since,  and,  then,  I  rather  think,  Andrew  Drewett  had  offered. 
There  is  good  sense  in  your  feeling  on  the  subject  of  marriages 
in  unequal  conditions  in  life,  for  they  certainly  lead  to  many 
heart-burnings,  and  greatly  lessen  the  chances  of  happiness. 
One  thing  is  certain ;  in  all  such  cases,  if  the  inferior  cannot 
rise  to  the  heiir"::t  of  the  superior,  the  superior  must  sink  to  the 
level  of  the  inferior.  Man  and  wife  cannot  continue  to  occupy 


516  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

different  social  positions ;  and  as  for  the  nonsense  that  is  uttered 
on  such  subjects,  by  visionaries,  under  the  claim  of  its  being 
common  sense,  it  is  only  fit  for  pretending  theories,  and  can 
have  nothing  to  do  with  the  great  rules  of  practice.  You  were 
right  in  principle,  then,  Miles,  though  you  have  greatly  exagger 
ated  the  facts  of  your  own  particular  case." 

'•  I  have  always  known,  sir,  and  have  ever  been  ready  to  ad 
mit,  that  the  Hardinges  have  belonged  to  a  different  class  of 
society  from  that  filled  by  the  Wallingfords." 

"This  is  true,  but  in  part  only;  and  by  no  means  true  to  a 
degree  that  need  have  drawn  any  impassable  line  between  you 
and  Lucy.  You  forget  how  poor  we  then  were,  and  how  sub 
stantial  a  benefit  the  care  of  Clawbonny  might  have  been  to 
my  dear  girl.  Besides,  you  are  of  reputable  descent  and  po 
sition,  if  not  precisely  of  the  gentry ;  and  this  is  not  a  country, 
or  an  age,  to  carry  notions  of  such  a  nature  beyond  the  strict 
bounds  of  reason.  You  and  Lucy  were  educated  on  the  same 
level ;  and,  after  all,  that  is  the  great  essential  for  the  marriage 
connection." 

There  was  great  good  sense  in  what  Mr.  Hardinge  said ;  and 
I  began  to  see  that  pride,  and  not  humility,  might  have  in 
terfered  with  my  happiness.  As  I  firmly  believed  it  was  now 
too  late,  however,  I  began  to  wish  the  subject  changed ;  for  I 
felt  it  grating  on  some  of  my  most  sacred  feelings.  With  a 
view  to  divert  the  conversation  to  another  channel,  therefore,  I 
remarked  with  some  emphasis,  affecting  an  indifference  I  did  not 
feel— 

"  What  cannot  be  cured,  must  be  endured,  sir ;  and  T  shall 
endeavor  to  find  a  sailor's  happiness  hereafter,  in  loving  my 
ship.  Besides,  were  Andrew  Drewett  entirely  out  of  the  ques 
tion,  it  is  now  '  too  late,'  in  another  sense,  since  it  would  never 
do  for  the  man  who,  himself  at  his  ease  in  the  way  of  money, 
hesitated  about  offering  when  his  mistress  was  poor,  to  prove 
his  love,  by  proposing  to  Mrs.  Bradfort's  heiress.  Still,  I  own 
to  so  much  weakness  as  to  wish  to  know,  before  we  close  the 
subject  forever,  why  Mr.  Drewett  and  your  daughter  do  not 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  517 

marry,  if  they  are  engaged  ?     Perhaps  it  is  owing  only  to  Lucy's 
mourning  ?" 

"  I  have  myself  imputed  it  to  another  cause.  Rupert  is  en 
tirely  dependent  on  his  sister,  and  I  know  Lucy  so  well  as  to  feel 
certain — some  extraordinary  cause  not  interposing — that  she 
wishes  to  bestow  half  her  cousin's  fortune  on  her  brother.  This 
cannot  be  done  until  she  is  of  age,  and  she  wants  near  two 
years  of  attaining  her  majority." 

I  made  no  answer ;  for  I  felt  how  likely  this  was  to  be  true, 
Lucy  was  not  a  girl  of  professions,  and  she  would  be  very  apt 
to  keep  a  resolution  of  this  nature,  a  secret  in  her  own  breast, 
until  ready  to  carry  it  into  execution.  No  more  passed  be 
tween  Mr.  Hardinge  and  myself,  on  the  subject  of  our  recent 
conversation ;  though  I  could  see  my  avowal  had  made  him 
sad,  and  that  it  induced  him  to  treat  me  with  more  affection, 
even,  than  had  been  his  practice.  Once  or  twice,  in  the  course 
of  the  next  day  or  two,  I  overheard  him  soliloquizing — a  habit 
to  which  he  was  a  good  deal  addicted — during  which  he 
would  murmur,  "  What  a  pity  !" — "  How  much  to  be  regret 
ted  !" —  "I  would  rather  have  him  for  a  son  than  any  man 
on  earth !"  and  other  similar  expressions.  Of  course,  these  in 
voluntary  disclosures  did  not  weaken  my  regard  for  my  late 
guardian. 

About  noon,  the  Grace  and  Lucy  came  in,  and  Neb  reported 
that  Dr.  Bard  was  not  at  home.  He  had  left  my  letter,  how 
ever,  and  it  would  be  delivered  as  soon  as  possible.  He  told  me 
also  that  the  wind  had  been  favorable  on  the  river,  and  that  the 
"Wallingford  must  reach  town  that  day. 

Nothing  further  occurred,  worthy  of  notice.  I  passed  the 
afternoon  with  Grace,  in  the  little  room;  and  we  conversed 
much  of  the  past,  of  our  parents  in  particular,  without  advert 
ing,  however,  to  her  situation,  any  further  than  to  apprise  her 
of  what  I  had  done.  I  thought  she  was  not  sorry  to  learn  I  had 
sent  for  Lucy,  now  that  I  was  with  her,  and  it  was  no  longei 
possible  her  illness  could  be  concealed.  As  for  the  physicians, 
when  they  were  mentioned,  I  could  see  a  look  of  tender  concern 


518  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

in  Grace's  eyes,  as  if  she  regretted  that  I  still  clung  to  the  delu 
sion  of  hoping  to  see  her  health  restored.  Notwithstanding 
these  little  drawbacks,  we  passed  a  sweet  eventide  together. 
For  more  than  an  hour,  Grace  lay  on  my  bosom,  occasionally 
patting  her  hand  on  my  cheeks,  as  the  child  caresses  its  mother. 
This  was  an  old  habit  of  hers,  and  it  was  one  I  was  equally  do- 
lighted  and  pained  to  have  her  resume,  now  we  were  of  the  ago 
and  stature  of  man  and  woman. 

The  next  day  was  Sunday,  and  Grace  insisted  on  my  driving 
her  to  church.  This  was  done,  accordingly,  in  a  very  old-fash 
ioned,  but  very  easy  Boston  chaise,  that  had  belonged  to  my 
mother,  and  with  very  careful  driving.  The  congregation,  like 
the  church  edifice  of  St.  Michael's,  was  very  small,  being  con 
fined,  with  some  twenty  or  thirty  exceptions,  to  the  family  and 
dependents  of  Clawbonny.  Mr.  Hardinge's  little  flock  was 
hedged  in  by  other  denominations  on  every  side,  and  it  was  not 
an  easy  matter  to  break  through  the  barriers  that  surrounded 
it.  Then  he*was  not  possessed  with  the  spirit  of  proselytism, 
contenting  himself  with  aiding  in  the  spiritual  advancement  of 
those  whom  Providence  had  consigned  to  his  care.  On  the 
present  occasion,  however,  the  little  building  was  full,  and  that 
was  as  much  as  could  have  happened  had  it  been  as  large  as  St. 
Peter's  itself.  The  prayers  were  devoutly  and  fervently  read,  and 
the  sermoji  was  plain  and  filled  with  piety. 

My  sister  professed  herself  in  no  manner  wearied  with  the 
exertion.  We  dined  with  Mr.  Hardinge,  at  the  rectory,  which 
was  quite'  near  the  church  ;  and  the  irreverent,  business-like, 
inake-wcight  sort  of  look,  of  going  in  to  one  service  almost  as 
soon  as  "the  other  was  ended,  as  if  to  score  off  so  much  preach 
ing  and  praying  as  available  at  the  least  trouble,  being  avoided, 
by  having  the  evening  service  commence  late,  she  was  enabled 
to  remain  until  the  close  of  the  day.  Mr.  Hardinge  rarely 
preached  but  once  of  a  Sunday.  He  considered  the  worship 
of  God,  and  the  offices  of  the  church,  as  the  proper  duties  of 
the  day,  and  regarded  his  own  wisdom  as  a  matter  of  secondary 
importance.  But  one  sermon  cost  him  as  much  labor,  and 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  519 

study,  and  anxiety,  as  most  clergymen's  two.  His  preaching, 
also,  had  the  high  qualification  of  being  addressed  to  the  affec 
tions  of  his  flock,  and  not  to  its  fears  and  interests.  He  con 
stantly  reminded  us  of  God's  love,  and  of  the  beauty  of  holiness; 
while  I  do  not  remember  to  have  heard  him  allude  half  a  dozen 
times  in  his  life  to  the  terrors  of  judgment  and  punishment, 
except  as  they  were  connected  with  that  disappointed  love.  I 
suppose  there  are  spirits  that  require  these  allusions,  and  the 
temptations  of  future  happiness,  to  incite  their  feelings  ;  but  I 
like  the  preacher  who  is  a  Christian  because  he  feels  himself 
drawn  to  holiness,  by  a  power  that  is  of  itself  holy ;  and  not 
those  who  appeal  to  their  people,  as  if  heaven  and  hell  were  a 
mere  matter  of  preference  and  avoidance,  on  the  ground  of  ex 
pediency.  I  cannot-  better  characterize  Mr.  Hardinge's  preach 
ing,  than  by  saying,  that  I  do  not  remember  ever  to  have  left 
his  church  with  a  sense  of  fear  toward  the  Creator ;  though  I 
have  often  been  impressed  with  a  love  that  was  as  profound  as 
the  adoration  that  had  been  awakened. 

Another  calm  and  comparatively  happy  evening  was  passed, 
during  which  I  conversed  freely  with  Grace  of  my  own  inten 
tions,  endeavoring  to  revive  in  her  an  interest  in  life,  by  renew 
ing  old  impressions,  and  making  her  participate  in  my  feelings. 
Had  I  been  with  her  from  the  hour  spring  opened,  with  its  re 
newal  of  vegetation,  and  all  the  joys  it  confers  on  the  innocent 
and  happy,  I  have  often  thought  since,  I  might  have  succeeded. 
As  it  was,  she  listened  with  attention,  and  apparently  with  pleas 
ure,  for  she  saw  it  served  to  relieve  my  mind.  We  did  not  sep 
arate  until  I  insisted  Grace  should  retire,  and  Chloe  had  made 
more  than  one  remonstrance  about  her  young  mistress's  ex 
ceeding  the  iisual  time.  On  leaving  my  sister's  chamber,  the 
negress  followed  me  with  a  light,  lest  I  should  fall,  among  the 
intricate  turnings,  and  the  ups  and  downs  of  the  old  building. 

"  Well,  Chloe,"  I  said,  as  we  proceeded  together,  "  how  do 
you  find  Neb  ?  Does  he  improve  by  this  running  about  on  tho 
ocean — especially  do  you  think  he  is  tanned  ?" 

"De/cMer!" 


620  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

"  Yes,  he  is  a  fellow,  sure  enough,  and  let  me  tell  yon,  Chloe, 
a  very  capital  fellow,  too.  If  it  can  be  of  any  advantage  to  him 
in  your  favor  to  know  the  truth,  I  will  just  say,  a  more  useful 
seaman  does  not  sail  the  ocean  than  Neb,  and  that  I  consider 
him  of  as  much  importance  as  the  mainmast." 

"  What  be  dot,  Masser  Mile  ?" 

"  I  see  nothing,  Chloe — there  are  no  spooks  at  Clawbonny, 
you  know." 

"  No,  sah  !     What  b'e  t'ing  Neb  like,  de/eWer  ?" 

"  Oh  !  I  ask  your  pardon — the  mainmast,  you  mean.  It  is 
the  most  important  spar  in  the  ship,  and  I  meant  that  Neb 
was  as  useful  as  that  mast.  In  battle,  too,  Neb  is  as  brave  as  a 
lion." 

Here  Chloe  could  stand  it  no  longer ;  she  fairly  laughed  out 
right,  in  pure,  natural  admiration  of  her  suitor's  qualities. 
When  this  was  performed,  she  ejaculated  once  more,  "  De  fel 
ler  /"  dropped  a  curtesy,  said  "  Good  night,  Masser  Mile,"  and 
left  me  at  my'  own  door.  Alas !  alas  !  among  the  improve 
ments  of  this  age,  we  have  entirely  lost  the  breed  of  the  care 
less,  good-natured,  affectionate,  faithful,  hard-working,  and  yet 
happy  blacks,  of  whom  more  or  less  were  to  be  found  in  every  re 
spectable  and  long-established  family  of  the  state,  forty  years  ago. 

The  next  day  was  one  of  great  anxiety  to  me.  I  rose  early, 
and  the  first  thing  was  to  ascertain  the  direction  of  the  wind. 
In  midsummer  this  was  apt  to  be  southerly,  and  so  it  proved 
on  that  occasion.  Neb  was  sent  to  the  point,  as  a  look-out ; 
he  returned  about  ten,  and  reported  a  fleet  of  sloops  in  sight. 
These  vessels  were  still  a  long  distance  down  the  river,  but  they 
were  advancing  at  a  tolerable  rate.  Whether  the  Wnllingford 
were  among  them,  or  not,  was  more  than  could  yet  be  told.  I 
sent  him  back  to  his  station,  as  soon  as  he  had  eaten ;  and 
unable  to  remain  quiet  in  the  house,  myself,  I  mounted  my 
horse,  and  rode  out  into  the  fields.  Here,  as  usual,  I  expe 
rienced  the  happiness  of  looking  at  objects  my  ancestors  loved 
to  regard,  and  which  always  have  had  a  strong  and  near  interest 
with  me. 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  521 

Perhaps  no  country  that  ever  yet  existed  has  been  so  lit 
tle  understood,  or  so  much  misrepresented,  as  this  America  of 
ours.  It  is  as  little  understood,  I  was  on  the  point  of  saying, 
at  home  as  it  is  abroad,  and  almost  as  much  misrepresented. 
Certainly  its  possessors  are  a  good  deal  addicted  to  valuing 
themselves  on  distinctive  advantages  that,  in  reality,  they  do  not 
enjoy,  while  their  enemies  declaim  about  vices  and  evils  from 
which  they  are  comparatively  free.  Facts  are  made  to  suit 
theories,  and  thus  it  is  that  we  see  well-intentioned,  and  other 
wise  respectable  writers,  constantly  running  into  extravagances, 
in  order  to  adapt  the  circumstances  to  the  supposed  logical  or 
moral  inference.  This  reasoning  backward,  has  caused  Alison, 
with  all  his  knowledge  and  fair-mindedness,  to  fall  into  several 
egregious  errors,  as  I  have  discovered  while  recently  reading  his 
great  work  on  Europe.  He  says  we  are  a  migratory  race,  and 
that  we  do  not  love  the  sticks  and  stones  that  surround  us,  but 
quit  the  paternal  roof  without  regret,  and  consider  the  play 
grounds  of  infancy  as  only  so  much  land  for  the  market.  He 
also  hazards  the  assertion,  that  there  is  not  such  a  thing  as  a 
literal  fanner — that  is,  a  tenant  who  farms  his  land  from  a  land 
lord — in  all  America.  Now,  as  a  rule,  and  comparing  the  habits 
of  America  with  those  of  older  countries,  in  which  land  is  not 
so  abundant,  this  may  be  true  ;  but  as  literal  fact,  nothing  can 
be  less  so.  Four  fifths  of  the  inhabited  portion  of  the  Ameri 
can  territory  has  a  civilized  existence  of  half  a  century's  dura 
tion  ;  and  there  has  not  been  time  to  create  the  long-lived 
attachments  named,  more  especially  in  the  regions  that  arc 
undergoing  the  moral  fusion  that  is  always  an  attendant  of  a 
new  settlement.  That  thousands  of  heartless  speculators  exist 
among  us,  who  do  regard  every  thing,  even  to  the  graves  of 
their  fathers,  as  only  so  much  improvable  property,  is  as  unde 
niable  as  the  fact  that  they  are  odious  to  all  men  of  any  moral 
feeling ;  but  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  are  to  be  found  in 
the  country,  who  do  reverence  their  family  possessions  from  a 
sentiment  that  is  creditable  to  human  nature.  I  will  not  men 
tion  Clavvbonny,  and  its  histoiy,  lest  I  might  be  suspected  of 


522  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

being  partial ;  but  it  would  be  easy  for  me  to  point  out  a  him 
dred  families,  embracing  all  classes,  from  the  great  proprietor  to 
the  plain  yeoman,  who  own  and  reside  on  the  estates  of  those 
who  first  received  them  from  the  hand  of  nature,  and  this  after 
one  or  two  centuries  of  possession.  What  will  Mr.  Alison  say, 
for  instance,  of  the  Manor  of  Rensselaer  ?  A  manor,  in  the  legal 
sense,  it  is  no  longer,  certainly,  the  new  institutions  destroying 
all  the  feudal  tenures ;  but,  as  mere  property,  the  late  patroon 
transmitted  it  as  regularly  to  his  posterity,  as  any  estate  was 
ever  transmitted  in  Europe.  This  extensive  manor  lies  in  the 
heart  of  New  York,  a  state  about  as  large  and  about  as  populous 
as  Scotland,  and  it  embraces  no  less  than  three  cities  in  its 
bosom,  though  their  sites  are  not  included  in  its  ownership, 
having  been  exempted  by  earlier  grants.  It  is  of  more  than 
two  centuries'  existence,  and  it  extends  eight-and-forty  miles 
east  and  west,  and  half  that  distance,  north  and  south.  Nearly 
all  this  vast  property  is  held,  at  this  hour,  of  the  Van  Rensse- 
laers,  as  landlords,  and  is  farmed  by  their  tenants,  there  being 
several  thousands  of  the  latter.  The  same  is  true,  on  a  smaller 
scale,  of  the  Livingston,  the  Van  Cortlandt,  the  Philipse,  the 
Nicoll,  and  various  other  old  New  York  estates,  though  several 
were  lost  by  attainder  in  the  Revolution.  I  explain  these  things, 
lest  any  European  who  may  happen  to  read  this  book,  should 
regard  it  as  fiction  ;  for,  allowing  for  trifling  differences,  a  hun 
dred  Clawbonnys  are  to  be  found  on  the  two  banks  of  the  Hud 
son,  at  this  very  hour.* 

But  to  return  to  the  narrative. 

*  Even  the  American  may  learn  the  following  facts  with  some  surprise.  It  is  now 
about  five-and-twenty  years  since  the  writer,  as  tenant  by  the  courtesy,  came  into  pos 
session  of  two  farms,  lying  within  twenty-three  miles  of  New  York,  in  each  of  which 
there  had  been  three  generations  of  tenants,  and  as  many  of  landlords,  without  a  scrap 
of  a  pen  having  passed  between  the  parties,  so  far  as  the  writer  could  ever  dis 
cover,  receipts  for  rent  cxcepted!  He  also  stands  in  nearly  the  same  relation  to 
another  farm,  in  the  same  county,  on  which  a  lease  f»r  ninety  years  is  at  this  moment 
running,  one  of  the  covenants  of  which  prescribes  that  the  tenant  shall  "frequent 
diTine  service  according  to  the  Church,  if  England,  when  opportunity  offers."  What 
an  evidence  of  the  nature  of  the  tyranny  from  which  our  ancestors  escaped,  more  es 
pecially  when  it  is  seen  that  the  tenant  was  obliged  to  submit  to  this  severe  exaction, 
In  consideration  of  a  rent  that  is  merely  nominal  I 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  523 

My  curiosity  increased  so  much  as  the  day  advanced  that  I 
rode  toward  the  point  to  look  for  the  sloop.  There  she  was, 
sure  enough,  and  there  was  Neb,  too,  galloping  a  young  horse, 
bare-back,  to  the  house  with  the  news.  I  met  him  with  an 
order  to  proceed  to  the  wharf  with  the  chaise,  while  I  dashed 
on  in  the  same  direction  myself,  almost  devoured  with  an  impa 
tience  to  learn  the  success  of  my  different  missions  as  I  galloped 
along.  I  could  see  the  upper  part  of  the  Wallingford's  sails 
gliding  through  the  leaves  that  fringed  the  bank,  and  it  was  ap 
parent  that  she  and  I  would  reach  the  wharf  almost  at  the  same 
instant.  Notwithstanding  all  my  anxiety,  it  was  impossible  to 
get  a  glimpse  of  the  vessel's  deck. 

I  did  not  quit  the  saddle  until  the  planks  of  the  wharf  were 
under  the  horse's  hoofs.  Then  I  got  a  view  of  the  sloop's  decks 
for  the  first  time.  A  respectable-looking,  tall,  slender,  middle- 
aged  man,  with  a  bright  dark  eye,  was  on  the  quarter-deck,  and 
I  bowed  to  him,  inferring  at  once  that  he  was  one  of  the  medi 
cal  gentlemen  to  whom  I  had  sent  the  message.  In  effect,  it 
was  Post,  the  second  named  on  my  list,  the  first  not  being  able 
to  come.  He  returned  my  bow,  but  before  I  could  alight  and 
go  on  board  to  receive  him,  Marble's  head  rose  from  the  cabin, 
and  my  mate  sprang  ashore  and  shook  me  cordially  by  the  hand. 

"  Here  I  am,  Miles,  my  boy,"  cried  Marble,  whom,  off  duty,  I 
had  earnestly  begged  to  treat  me  with  his  old  freedom,  and  who 
took  me  at  my  word — "  Here  I  am,  Miles,  my  boy,  and  farther 
from  salt  water  than  I  have  been  in  five-and-twenty  years.  So 
this  is  the  famous  Clawbonny  !  I  cannot  say  much  for  the  port, 
which  is  somewhat  crowded  while  it  contains  but  one  craft, 
though  the  river  outside  is  pretty  well,  as  rivers  go.  D'ye 
know,  lad,  that  I've  been  in  a  fever  all  the  way  up  lest  we 
should  get  ashore,  on  one  side  or  the  other  ?  your  having  land 
on  both  tacks  at  once  is  too  much  of  a  good  thing.  This  com 
ing  up  to  Clawbonny  has  put  me  in  mind  of  running  them 
straits,  though  we  hace  had  rather  better  weather  this  passage, 
and  a  clear  horizon.  What  d'ye  call  that  affair  up  against  the  hill 
side  yonder,  with  the  jig-a-merree  that  is  turning  in  the  water  ?" 


624  AFLOAT      A.ND      ASHORE. 

"Tliat's  a  mill,  my  friend,  and  the  jig-a-merree  is  the  very 
wheel  on  which  you  have  heard  me  say  my  father  was  crushed." 

Marble  looked  sorrowfully  at  the  wheel,  squeezed  my  hand,  as 
if  to  express  sorrow  for  having  reminded  me  of  so  painful  an 
event,  and  then  I  heard  him  murmuring  to  himself — "  Well,  I 
never  had  a  father  to  lose.  No  bloody  mill  could  do  me  that 
injury." 

"  That  gentleman  on  the  quarter-deck,"  I  remarked,  "  is  a 
physician  for  whom  I  sent  to  town,  I  suppose." 

"  Ay,  ay,  he's  some  such  matter,  I  do  suppose,  though  I've 
been  generalizing  so  much  about  this  here  river,  and  the  man 
ner  of  sailing  a  craft  of  that  rig,  I've  had  little  to  say  to  him. 
I'm  always  a  better  friend  to  the  cook  than  to  the  surgeon. 
But,  Miles,  my  lad,  there's  a  rare  'un  in  the  ship's  after-cabin,  I 
can  tell  you !" 

"  That  must  be  Lucy !"  and  I  did  not  stop  to  pay  my  com 
pliments  to  the  strange  gentleman,  but  almost  leaped  into  the 
vessel's  cabin. 

There  was  Lucy,  sure  enough,  attended  by  a  respectable- 
looking  elderly  black  female,  one  of  the  half  dozen  slaves  that 
had  become  hers  by  the  death  of  Mrs.  Bradfort.  Neither 
spoke,  but  we  shook  hands  with  frankness,  and  I  understood 
by  the  anxious  expression  of  my  companion's  eye,  all  she  wished 
to  knb-w. 

"  I  really  think  she  seems  better,  and  certainly  she  is  far  more 
cheerful,  within  this  last  day  or  two,"  I  answered  to  the  appeal. 
"Yesterday  she  was  twice  at  church,  and  this  morning,  for  a 
novelty,  she  breakfasted  with  me." 

"  God  be  praised !"  Lucy  exclaimed,  with  fervor.  Then  she 
sat  down  and  relieved  her  feelings  in  tears.  I  told  her  to  expect 
me  again,  in  a  few  minutes,  and  joined  the  physician,  who,  by 
this  time,  was  apprised  of  my  presence.  The  calm,  considerate 
manner  of  Post  gave  me  a  confidence  I  had  not  felt  for  some 
days ;  and  I  really  began  to  hope  it  might  still  be  within  the 
power  of  his  art  to  save  the  sister  I  so  dearly  loved. 

Our  dispositions  for  quitting  the  sloop  were  soon  made,  and 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  525 

\ve  ascended  the  hill  together,  Lucy  leaning  on  my  arm.  On  its 
summit  was  the  chaise,  into  which  the  doctor  and  Marble  were 
persuaded  to  enter,  Lucy  preferring  to  walk.  The  negrcss  was 
to  proceed  in  the  vehicle  that  had  been  sent  for  the  luggage,  and 
Lucy  and  I  set  out,  arm  and  arm,  to  walk  rather  more  than  a 
mile  in  company,  and  that,  too,  without  the  presence  of  a  third 
person.  Such  an  occurrence,  under  any  other  circumstances 
than  those  in  which  we  were  both  placed,  would  have  made  me 
one  of  the  happiest  men  on  earth ;  but,  in  the  actual  situation 
in  which  I  found  myself,  it  rendered  me  silent  and  uncomfort 
able.  Not  so  with  Lucy ;  ever  natural,  and  keeping  truth 
incessantly  before  her  eyes,  the  dear  girl  took  my  arm  without 
the  least  embarrassment,  and  showed  no  sign  of  impatience  or 
of  doubt.  She  was  sad,  but  full  of  a  gentle  confidence  in  her 
own  sincerity  and  motives. 

"  This  is  dear  Clawbonny  again  !"  she  exclaimed,  after  we  had 
walked  in  silence  a  short  distance.  "  How  beautiful  are  the 
fields,  how  fresh  the  woods,  how  sweet  the  flowers.  Oh  !  Miles, 
a  day  in  such  a  spot  as  this  is  worth  a  year  in  town !" 

""Why  then  do  you,  who  have  now  so  much  at  your  com 
mand,  pass  more  than  half  your  time  between  the  heated  bricks 
of  Wall  street,  when  you  know  how  happy  we  should  all  be  to 
see  you  here,  among  us  again  ?" 

"  I  have  not  been  certain  of  this ;  that  has  been  the  sole  reason 
of  my  absence.  Had  I  known  T  should  be  welcome,  nothing 
would  have  induced  me  to  suffer  Grace  to  pass  the  last  six  sad, 
sad  months  by  herself." 

"  Known  that  you  should  be  welcome  !  Surely  you  have  not 
supposed,  Lucy,  that  /  can  ever  regard  you  as  any  thing  but 
welcome  here  ?" 

"  I  had  no  allusion  to  you — thought  not  of  you,  Miles,  at  all," 
answered  Lucy,  with  the  quiet  manner  of  one  who  felt  she  was 
thinking,  acting,  and  speaking  no  more  than  what  was  perfectly 
right ;  "  my  mind  was  dwelling  altogether  on  Grace." 

"  Is  it  possible  you  could  doubt  of  Grace's  willingness  to  seo 
you  at  all  times  and  in  all  places,  Lucy  ?" 


520  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

"  I  have  doubted  it ;  have  thought  I  was  acting  prudently 
and  well  in  staying  away  just  at  this  time,  though  I  now  begin 
to  fear  the  decision  has  been  hasty  and  unwise." 

"  May  I  ask  why  Lucy  Hardinge  has  come  to  so  singular  and 
violent  an  opinion,  as  connected  with  her  bosom  friend  and 
almost  sister,  Grace  AVallingford  ?" 

"That  almost  sister!  Oh!  Miles,  what  is  there  I  possess 
which  I  would  not  give  that  there  might  be  perfect  confidence 
again  between  you  and  me  on  this  subject ;  such  confidence  as 
existed  when  we  were  boy  and  girl — children,  I  might  say." 

"  And  what  prevents  it  ?  Certain  I  am  the  alienation  does 
not,  cannot  come  from  me,  You  have  only  to  speak,  Lucy,  to 
have  an  attentive  listener ;  to  ask,  to  receive  the  truest  answers. 
What  can,  then,  prevent  the  confidence  you  wish  ?" 

"  There  is  one  obstacle ;  surely,  Miles,  you  can  readily  imagine 
what  I  mean  ?" 

"Can  it  be  possible  Lucy  is  alluding  to  Andrew  Drewett?"  I 
thought  to  myself.  "  Has  she  discovered  my  attachment,  and 
docs  she,  will  she,  can  she  regret  her  own  engagement  ?"  A 
lover  who  thought  thus,  would  not  be  apt  to  leave  the  question 
long  in  doubt. 

"  Deal  plainly  with  me,  I  implore  of  you,  Lucy,"  I  said,  sol 
emnly.  "  One  word  uttered  with  your  old  sincerity  and  frank 
ness  may  close  a  chasm  that  has  now  been  widening  between 
us  for  the  last  year  or  two.  What  is  the  obstacle  you  mean  ?" 

"  I  have  seen  and  felt  the  alienation  to  which  you  allude  quite 
as  sensibly  as  you  can  have  done  yourself,  Miles,"  the  dear  girl 
answered,  in  her  natural,  simple  manner ;  "  and  I  will  trust  all 
to  your  generosity.  Need  I  say  more,  to  explain  what  I  mean, 
than  mention  the  name  of  Rupert?" 

"  What  of  him,  Lucy  ? — be  explicit ;  vague  allusions  may  be 
worse  than  nothing." 

Lucy's  little  hand  was  on  my  arm,  and  she  had  drawn  its 
glove  on  account  of  the  heat.  I  felt  it  press  me,  almost  convul 
sively,  as  she  added,  "  I  do,  I  must  think  you  have  too  much 
affection  and  gratitude  for  my  dear  father,  too  much  regard  for 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  52< 

me,  ever  to  forget  that  you  and  Rupert  once  lived  together  as 
brothers  f 

"  Grace  has  my  promise  already,  on  that  subject.  I  shall 
never  take  the  world's  course  with  Rupert,  in  this  affair." 

1  heard  Lucy's  involuntary  sob,  as  if  she  gasped  for  breath  ; 
and,  turning,  I  saw  her  sweet  eyes  bent  on  my  face  with  an  ex 
pression  of  thankfulness  that  could  not  be  mistaken. 

"  I  would  have  given  the  same  pledge  to  you,  Lucy,  and 
purely  on  your  own  account.  It  would  be  too  much  to  ccuse 
you  to  moum  for  your  brother's" — 

I  did  not  name  the  offence,  lest  my  feelings  should  tempt  me 
to  use  too  strong  a  term. 

"  This  is  all  I  ask — all  I  desire,  Miles;  bless  you — bless  you  ! 
for  having  so  freely  given  me  this  assurance.  Now  my  heart  is 
relieved  from  this  burden,  I  am  ready  to  speak  frankly  to  you  ; 
still,  had  I  seen  Grace" — 

"  Have  no  scruples  on  account  of  your  regard  for  womanly 
feeling — I  know  every  thing,  and  shall  not  attempt  to  conceal 
from  you,  that  disappointed  love  for  Rupert  has  brought  my 
sister  to  the  state  she  is  in.  This  might  not  have  happened, 
had  either  of  us  been  with  her ;  but,  buried  as  she  has  been 
alone  in  this  place,  her  wounded  sensibilities  have  proved  too 
strong  for  a  frame  that  is  so  delicate." 

There  was  a  pause  of  a  minute,  after  I  ended. 

"  I  have  long  feared  that  some  such  calamity  would  befall  us," 
Lucy  answered,  in  a  low,  measured  tone.  "  I  think  you  do  not 
understand  Grace  as  well  as  I  do,  Miles.  Her  mind  and  feelings 
have  a  stronger  influence  than  common  over  her  body ;  and  I 
fear  no  society  of  ours,  or  of  others,  could  have  saved  her  this 
trial.  Still,  we  must  not  despair.  It  is  a  trial — that  is  just  the 
word ;  and  by  means  of  tenderness,  the  most  sedulous  care, 
good  advice,  and  all  that  we  two  can  do  to  aid,  there  must  yet 
be  hope.  Now  there  is  a  skilful  physician  here,  he  must  be 
dealt  fairly  by,  and  should  know  the  whole." 

"  I  intended  to  consult  you  on  this  subject — one  has  such  a 
reluctance  to  expose  Grace's  most  sacred  feelings  I" 


528  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

"  Surely  it  need  not  go  quite  as  far  as  that,"  returned  Luoy, 
with  sensitive  quickness;  "something — much — must  be  left  to 
conjecture ;  but  Dr.  Post  must  know  that  the  mind  is  at  the 
bottom  of  the  evil;  though  I  fear  that  young  ladies  cau  seldom 
admit  the  existence  of  such  a  complaint,  without  having  it  at 
tributed  to  a  weakness  of  this  nature." 

"  That  proceeds  from  the  certainty  that  your  sex  has  so  much 
heart,  Lucy ;  your  very  existence  being  bound  up  in  others." 

"  Grace  is  one  of  peculiar  strength  of  affections — but,  Miles, 
•we  will  talk  no  further  of  this  at  present.  I  scarce  know  how 
to  speak  of  my  brother's  affairs,  and  you  must  give  me  time  to 
reflect.  Now  we  are  at  Clawbonny  again,  we  cannot  long  con 
tinue  strangers  to  each  other." 

This  was  said  so  sweetly,  I  could  have  knelt  and  kissed  her 
shoe-ties ;  and  yet  so  simply,  as  not  to  induce  misinterpretation. 
It  served  to  change  the  discourse,  however,  and  the  remainder 
of  the  way  we  talked  of  the  past.  Lucy  spoke  of  her  cousin's 
death,  relating  various  little  incidents  to  show  how  much  Mrs. 
Bradfort  was  attached  to  her,  and  how  good  a  woman  she  was ; 
but  not  a  syllable  was  said  of  the  will.  I  was  required,  in  my 
turn,  to  finish  the  narrative  of  my  last  voyage,  which  had  not 
been  completed  at  the  theatre.  When  Lucy  learned  that  the 
rough  seaman  who  had  come  in  the  sloop  was  Marble,  she  mani 
fested  great  interest  in  him,  declaring,  had  she  known  it  dining 
the  passage,  that  she  would  have  introduced  herself.  All  this 
time,  Rupert's  name  was  not  mentioned  between  us;  and  I 
reached  the  house,  feeling  that  something  like  the  interest  I  had 
formerly  possessed  there,  had  been  awakened  in  the  bosom  of 
my  companion.  She  was,  at  least,  firmly  and  confidingly  my 
friend. 

Chloe  met  Lucy  at  the  door  with  a  message — Miss  Grace 
wanted  to  see  Miss  Lucy,  alone.  I  dreaded  this  interview,  and 
looked  forward  to  being  present  at  it ;  but  Lucy  begged  me  to 
confide  in  her,  and  I  felt  bound  to  comply.  While  the  dear  girl 
was  gone  to  my  sister's  room,  I  sought  the  physician,  with 
whom  I  had  a  brief  but  explicit  conference.  I  told  this  gentle- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  529 

man  how  much  Grace  had  been  alone,  permitting  sorrow  to  wear 
upon  her  frame,  and  gave  him  to  understand  that  the  seat  of 
my  sister's  malady  was  mental  suffering.  Post  was  a  cool,  dis 
criminating  man,  and  he  ventured  no  remark  until  ho,  had  seen 
his  patient ;  though  I  could  perceive,  by  the  keen  manner  in 
which  his  piercing  eye  was  fixed  on  mine,  that  all  I  said  was 
fully  noted. 

It  was  more  than  an  hour  before  Lucy  reappeared.  It  was 
obvious  at  a  glance  that  she  had  been  dreadfully  agitated,  and 
cruelly  surprised  at  the  condition  in  which  she  had  found  Grace. 
It  was  not  that  disease,  in  any  of  its  known  forms,  was  so  very 
apparent ;  but  that  my  sister  resembled  already  a  being  of  an 
other  world,  in  the  beaming  of  her  countenance — in  the  bright, 
unearthly  expression  of  her  eyes — and  in  the  slightness  and 
delicacy  of  the  hold  she  seemed,  generally,  to  have  on  life. 
Grace  had  always  something  of  this  about  her — much,  I  might 
better  have  said ;  but  it  now  appeared  to  be  left  nearly  alone, 
as  her  thoughts  and  strength  gradually  receded  from  the  means 
of  existence. 

The  physician  returned  with  Lucy  to  my  sister's  room,  where 
he  passed  more  than  an  hour ;  as  long  a  time,  indeed,  he  after 
ward  told  me  himself,  as  he  thought  could  be  done  without 
fatiguing  his  patient.  The  advice  he  gave  me  was  cautious  and 
discreet.  Certain  tonics  were  prescribed ;  we  were  told  to  en 
deavor  to  divert  the  mind  of  our  precious  charge  from  her 
sources  of  uneasiness,  by  gentle  means  and  prudent  expedients. 
Change  of  scene  was  advised  also,  could  it  be  done  without  pro 
ducing  too  much  fatigue.  I  suggested  the  AVallingford,  as  soon 
as  this  project  was  mentioned.  She  was  a  small  sloop,  it  is  true, 
but  had  two  very  comfortable  cabins ;  my  father  having  had 
one  of  them  constructed  especially  in  reference  to  my  mother's 
occasional  visits  to  town.  The  vessel  did  little,  at  that  season 
of  the  year,  besides  transporting  flour  to  market,  and  bringing 
back  wheat.  In  the  autumn,  she  carried  wood,  and  the  prod 
ucts  of  the  neighborhood.  A  holiday  might  be  granted  her, 
and  no  harm  come  of  it.  Dr.  Post  approved  the  idea,  saying 
23 


530  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

frankly  there  was  no  objection  but  the  expense ;  if  I  could  bear 
that,  a  better  plan  could  not  possibly  be  adopted. 

That  night  we  discussed  the  matter  in  the  family  circle,  Mr. 
Hardinge  having  come  from  the  rectory  to  join  us.  Everybody 
approved  of  the  scheme,  it  was  so  much  better  than  leaving 
Grace  to  pine  away  by  herself  in  the  solitude  of  Clawbonny. 

"  I  have  a  patient  at  the  Springs,"  said  Dr.  Post,  "  who  is 
very  anxious  to  see  me ;  and,  to  own  the  truth,  I  am  a  little 
desirous  of  drinking  the  waters  myself,  for  a  week.  Carry  me 
to  Albany,  and  land  me ;  after  which  you  can  descend  the  river, 
and  continue  your  voyage  to  as  many  places,  and  for  as  long  a 
time,  as  the  strength  of  Miss  Wallingford,  and  your  own  incli 
nations,  shall  dictate." 

This  project  seemed  excellent  in  all  our  eyes;  even  Grace 
heard  it  with  a  smile,  placing  herself  entirely  in  our  hands.  It 
was  decided  to  put  it  in  practice. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

"  And  she  sits  and  gazes  at  me, 

With  those  deep  and  tender  ejes, 
•     Like  the  stars,  so  still  and  saint-like, 
Looking  downward  from  the  skies." 

LONGFELLOW. 

THE  next  morning  I  set  about  the  measures  necessary  for 
carrying  out  our  plan.  Marble  was  invited  to  be  of  the  party, 
the  arrangements  concerning  the  ship,  allowing  of  his  absence 
for  a  few  days.  Once  engaged,  he  was  of  infinite  service,  enter 
ing  into  the  plan  as  my  mate.  The  regular  skipper  was  glad  to 
have  a  furlough ;  and  I  retained  on  board  no  one  of  the  proper 
crew  but  the  river-pilot ;  a  man  who  could  not  be  dispensed 
with.  By  this  arrangement,  we  cleared  the  cabin  from  com 
pany  that  was  not  desirable  for  the  circumstances.  Neb,  and 
three  of  the  Clawbonny  blacks,  were  delighted  to  go  on  such  an 
excursion,  and  all  were  more  or  less  familiar  with  the  little  duty 
that  would  be  required  of  them.  Indeed,  Marble,  Neb,  and  my 
self,  were  every  way  able  to  take  care  of  the  vessel.  But  we 
chose  to  have  plenty  of  physical  force ;  and  a  cook  was  indispen 
sable.  Clawbonny  supplied  the  latter,  in  the  person  of  old  Dido 
of  that  ilk. 

By  noon,  the  whole  party  were  ready  to  embark.  Grace  was 
driven  to  the  wharf,  and  she  walked  on  board  the  sloop,  sup 
ported  by  Lucy  and  myself;  more,  however,  from  solicitude 
than  from  absolute  necessity.  Every  precaution,  however,  was 
taken  by  order  of  the  physician  to  prevent  any  thing  like  ex 
citement  ;  the  blacks,  in  particular,  who  would  have  followed 
"  Miss  Grace"  to  the  water's  edge,  being  ordered  to  remain  at 
home.  Chloe,  to  her  manifest  satisfaction,  was  permitted  to 


332  AFLOAT      A  X  U      ASHORE. 

accompany  her  "  young  mistress,"  and  great  was  her  delight. 
How  often  that  day  did  the  exclamation  of  "  de  feller,"  escape 
her,  as  she  witnessed  Neb's  exploits  in  different  parts  of  the 
sloop.  It  was  some  little  time  before  I  could  account  for  the 
black's  superfluous  activity,  imputing  it  to  zeal  in  my  sister's 
service ;  but,  in  the  end,  I  discovered  Grace  had  to  share  the 
glory  with  Chloe. 

No  sooner  was  everybody  on  board  than  we  cast  off.  The 
jib  was  soon  up ;  and  under  this  short  sail  we  moved  slowly  out 
of  the  creek,  with  a  pleasant  southerly  breeze.  As  we  passed 
the  point,  there  stood  the  whole  household  arrayed  in  a  line, 
from  the  tottering  gray-headed  and  muddy-looking  negro  of 
seventy,  down  to'  the  glistening,  jet-black  toddling  things  of 
two  and  three.  The  distance  was  so  small,  it  was  easy  to  trace 
even  the  expressions  of  the  different  countenances,  which  varied 
according  to  the  experience,  forebodings,  and  characters  of  the 
different  individuals.  Notwithstanding  the  sort  of  reverential 
attachment  all  felt  for  "  Miss  Grace,"  and  the  uncertainty  some 
among  these  unsophisticated  creatures  must  have  experienced 
on  the  subject  of  her  health,  it  was  not  in  nature  for  such  a 
cluster  of  "  niggers1'  to  exhibit  unhappiness  at  a  moment  when 
there  were  so  many  grounds  of  excitement.  The  people  of  this 
race  know  nothing  of  the  word,  perhaps ;  but  they  delight  in 
the  thing  quite  as  much  as  if  they  did  nothing  but  electioneer 
all  their  lives.  Most  pliant  instruments  would  their  untutored 
feelings  make  in  the  hands  of  your  demagogue  ;  and,  possibly,  it 
may  have  some  little  influence  on  the  white  American  to  under 
stand  how  strong  is  his  resemblance  to  the  "  nigger,"  when  he 
gives  himself  up  to  the  mastery  of  this  much  approved  mental 
power.  The  day  was  glorious ;  a  brighter  sun  never  shining  in 
Italy,  or  on  the  Grecian  islands  ;  the  air  balmy  ;  the  vessel  was 
gay  to  the  eye,  having  been  painted  about  a  month  before,  and 
every  one  seemed  bent  on  a  holiday  ;  circumstances  sufficient  in 
themselves  to  make  this  light-hearted  race  smiling  and  happy. 
As  the  sloop  went  slowly  past,  the  whole  line  doffed  their  hats, 
or  curtsied,  showing  at  the  same  time  a  row  of  ivory  that  shone 


AFLOAT      A  X  D      ASHORE.  533 

like  so  many  gay  windows  in  their  sable  faces.  I  could  see  that 
Grace  was  touched  by  this  manifestation  of  interest ;  such  a 
field-day  in  the  Clawbonny  corps  not  having  occurred  since  the 
first  time  my  mother  went  to  town,  after  the  death  of  my  father. 
Fortunately,  every  thing  else  was  -soothing  to  ray  sister's  spirits ; 
and,  so  long  as  she  could  sit  on  the  deck,  holding  Lucy's  hand, 
and  enjoy  the  changing  landscape,  with  her  brother  within  call, 
it  was  not  possible  she  should  be  altogether  without  happiness. 

Rounding  the  point  as  we  entered  the  river,  the  Wallingford 
eased-off  sheet,  set  a  studding-sail  and  flying-topsail,  and  began 
to  breast  the  Hudson,  on  her  way  toward  its  sources. 

In  1803,  the  celebrated  river  we  were  navigating,  though  it 
had  all  the  natural  features  it  possesses  to-day,  was  by  no  means 
the  same  picture  of  moving  life.  The  steamboat  did  not  appear 
on  its  surface  until  four  years  later ;  and  the  journeys  up  and 
down  its  waters  were  frequently  a  week  in  length.  In  that  day, 
the  passenger  did  not  hurry  on  board,  just  as  a  bell  was  disturb 
ing  the  neighborhood,  hustling  his  way  through  a  rude  throng 
of  porters,  cartmen,  orange-women,  and  news-boys,  to  save  his 
distance  by  just  a  minute  and  a  half,  but  his  luggage  was  often 
sent  to  the  vessel  the  day  before ;  he  passed  his  morning  in 
saying  adieu,  and  when  he  repaired  to  the  vessel,  it  was  with 
gentleman-like  leisure,  often  to  pass  hours  on  board  previously 
to  sailing,  and  not  unfrequently  to  hear  the  unwelcome  tidings 
that  this  event  was  deferred  until  the  next  day.  How  different, 
too,  was  the  passage  from  one  in  a  steamboat !  There  was  no 
jostling  of  each  other,  no  scrambling  for  places  at  table,  no  bolt 
ing  of  food,  no  impertinence  manifested,  no  swearing  about 
missing  the  eastern  or  southern  boats,  -or  Schenectady,  or  Sara 
toga,  or  Boston  trains,  on  account  of  a  screw  being  loose,  nor 
any  other  unseemly  manifestation  that  anybody  was  in  a  hurry. 
On  the  contrary,  wine  and  fruit  were  provided,  as  if  the  travel- 
'ers  intended  to  enjoy  themselves;  and  a  journey  in  that  day 
was  afcsta.  No'  more  embarked  than  cquld  be  accommodated  ; 
and  the  company  being  selected,  the  cabin  was  taken  to  the 
exclusion  of  all  unwelcome  intruders.  Now,  the  man  who 


534  AFLOAT       \\r>      ASHORE. 

should  order  a  bottle  of  wine  to  be  placed  at  the  side  of  his 
plate,  would  be  stared  at  as  a  fool ;  and  not  without  reason 
altogether,  for,  did  it  escape  the  claws  of  his  convives  and  the 
waiters,  he  would  probably  reach  the  end  of  his  journey  before 
he  could  drink  it. 

In  1803,  not  only  did  the  dinner  pass  in  peace,  and  with 
gentleman-like  deliberation ;  not  only  were  the  cooler  and  the 
fruit  taken  on  deck,  and  the  one  sipped  and  the  other  eaten 
at  leisure  in  the  course  of  an  afternoon,  but  in  the  course  of 
many  afternoons.  Passages  were  certainly  made  in  twenty- 
four  hours  in  the  sloops ;  but  these  were  the  exceptions,  a 
week  being  much  more  likely  to  be  the  time  passed  in  the 
enjoyment  of  the  beautiful  scenery  of  the  river.  The  vessel 
usually  got  aground,  once  at  least,  and  frequently  several  times 
in  a  trip ;  and  often  a  day,  or  two,  were  thus  delightfully  lost, 
giving  the  stranger  an  opportunity  of  visiting  the  surrounding 
country.  The  necessity  of  anchoring,  with  a  foul  wind,  on 
uveiy  opposing  tide,  too,  increased  these  occasions,  thus  lending 
to  the  excursion  something  of  the  character  of  an  exploring 
expedition.  No — no — a  man  would  learn  more  in  one  pas 
sage,  up  or  down  the  Hudson,  forty  years  since,  than  can  be  ob 
tained  by  a  dozen  at  the  present  time.  I  have  a  true  seaman's 
dislike  for  a  steamboat,  and  sometimes  wish  they  were  struck 
out  of  existence ;  though  I  know  it  is  contrary  to  all  the  prin 
ciples  of  political  economy,  and  opposed  to  what  is  called  the 
march  of  improvement.  Of  one  thing,  however,  I  feel  quite  cer 
tain  :  that  these  inventions,  coupled  with  the  gregarious  manner 
of  living  that  has  sprung  up  in  the  large  taverns,  is,  as  one  of 
our  writers  expresses  it,  {i  doing  wonders  for  the  manners  of  the 
people ;"  though,  in  my  view  of  the  matter,  the  wonder  is  that 
they  have  any  left. 

There  might  have  been  thirty  sail  in  sight,  when  the  Walling- 
ford  got  fairly  into  the  river,  some  turning  down  on  a  young 
ebb,  making  their  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  in  six  hours,  and 
others,  like  ourselves,  stealing  along  against  it  at  about  the  same 
rate.  Half  a  dozen  of  these  craft  were  quite  near  us,  and  the 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  535 

decks  of  most  of  those  which  were  steering  north,  had  parties 
including  ladies,  evidently  proceeding  to  the  "  Springs."  I  de 
sired  Marble  to  sheer  as  close  to  these  different  vessels  as  was 
convenient,  having  no  other  object  in  view  than  amusement, 
and  fancying  it  might  aid  in  diverting  the  thoughts  of  my  sister 
from  her  own  sorrows,  to  the  faces  and  concerns  of  others. 
The  reader  will  have  no  difficulty  in  understanding,  that  tho 
Wallingford,  constructed  under  the  orders  of  an  old  sailor,  and 
for  his  own  use^  was  a  fast  vessel.  In  this  particular  she  had 
but  one  or  two  competitors  on  the  river;  packets  belonging  to 
Hudson,  Poughkeepsie,  and  Sing  Sing.  She  was  now  only  in 
fair  ballast-trim,  and  being  admirably  provided  with  sails,  in  the 
light  wind  we  had,  she  actually  went  four  feet  to  most  of  the 
other  vessels  in  sight's  three.  My  request  to  Marble — or,  order, 
as  he  chose  to  call  it — was  easily  enough  complied  with,  and 
we  were  soon  coming  up  close  on  the  quarter  of  a  sloop  that 
had  its  decks  crowded  with  passengers  who  evidently  belonged 
to  the  better  class  ;  while,  on  its  forecastle  were  several  horses, 
and  a  carriage ;  customary  accompaniments  to  such  a  scene  in 
that  day. 

I  had  not  been  so  happy  in  a  long  time,  as  I  felt  at  that  mo 
ment.  Grace  was  better,  as  I  fancied  at  least,  and  it  was  cer 
tain  she  was  more  composed  and  less  nervous  than  I  had  seen 
her  since  my  return  ;  and  this  of  itself  was  removing  the  weight 
of  a  mountain  from  my  heart.  There  was  Lucy,  too,  her 
rounded  cheek  rosy  with  the  pleasure  of  the  moment,  full  of 
health,  and  with  eyes  that  never  turned  on  me  that  they  did 
not  beam  with  confidence  and  kindness — the  sincerest  friend 
ship,  if  not  love — while  every  look,  movement,  syllable,  or  ges 
ture  that  was  directed  toward  Grace,  betrayed  how  strongly  the 
hearts  of  these  two  precious  creatures  were  still  knit  together 
in  sisterly  affection.  My  guardian  too  seemed  happier  than  he 
had  been  since  our  conversation  on  the  state  of  my  own  feelings 
toward  his  daughter.  He  had  made  a  condition,  that  we  should 
all — the  doctor  excepted — return  to  Clawbonny  in  time  for  ser 
vice  on  the  ensuing  Sunday,  and  he  was  then  actually  engaged 


536  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

in  looking  over  an  old  sermon  for  the  occasion,  though  not  a 
minute  passed  in  which  he  did  not  drop  the  manuscript  to  gaze 
about  him,  in  deep  enjoyment  of  the  landscape.  The  scene, 
moreover,  was  so  full  of  repose,  that  even  the  movements  of 
the  diiFerent  vessels  scarce  changed  its  Sabbath-like  charac 
ter.  I  repeat,  that  I  had  not  felt  so  perfectly  happy  since  I  held 
my  last  conversation  with  the  Salem  Witches,  in  the  Duomo 
of  Firenze. 

Marble  was  excessively  delighted  with  the. behavior  of  the 
Wallingford.  The  latter  was  a  sloop  somewhat  smaller  than 
common,  though  her  accommodations  were  particularly  com 
modious,  while  she  was  sparred  on  the  scale  of  a  flyer.  Her 
greatest  advantage  in  the  way  of  sailing,  however,  would  have 
been  no  great  recommendation  to  her  on  a  wind  ;  for  she  was 
nearly  start  light,  and  might  not  have  been  able  to  carry  full  sail 
in  hard  November  weather,  even  on  the  Hudson — a  river  on 
which  serious  accidents  have  been  known  to  occur.  There 
was  little  danger  in  midsummer,  however ;  and  we  went  gliding 
up  on  the  quarter  of  the  Gull  of  Troy,  without  feeling  concern 
of  any  sort. 

"  What  sloop  is  that  ?"  demanded  the  skipper  of  the  Gull,  as 
our  boom-end  came  within  a  fathom  of  his  rail,  our  name  being 
out  of  his  view. 

"  The  Wallingford  of  Clawbonny,  just  out  of  port,  bound  up 
on  a  party  of  pleasure." 

Now,  Clawbonny  was  not  then,  nor  is  it  now,  what  might  be 
called  a  legal  term.  There  was  no  such  place  known  in  law, 
beyond  the  right  which  usage  gives ;  and  I  heard  a  low  laugh 
among  the  passengers  of  the  Gull,  as  they  heard  the  homely 
appellation.  This  came  from  the  equivocal  position  my  fam 
ily  occupied,  midway  between  the  gentry  and  yeomanry  of 
the  state,  as  they  both  existed  in  1803.  Had  I  said  the  sloop 
came  from  near  Coldenham,  it  would  have  been  all  right ;  for 
everybody  who  was  then  anybody  in  New  York,  knew  who 
the  Coldens  were ;  or  Morrisania,  the  Morrises  being  people  of 
mark  ;  or  twenty  other  places  on  the  river ;  but  the  Walling- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  537 

fords  were  as  little  known  as  Clawbonny,  when  you  got  fifteen 
or  twenty  miles  from  the  spot  where  they  had  so  long  lived. 
This  is  just  the  difference  between  obscurity  and  notoriety. 
When  the  latter  extends  to  an  entire  nation,  it  gives  an  individ 
ual,  or  a  family,  the  note  that  frees  them  entirely  from  the  im 
putation  of  existing  under  the  first  condition ;  and  this  note, 
favorably  diffused  through  Christendom,  forms  a  reputation — 
transmitted  to  posterity,  it  becomes  fame.  Unfortunately,  nei 
ther  we  nor  our  place  had  even  reached  the  first  simple  step  in 
this  scale  of  renown  ;  and  poor  Clawbonny  was  laughed  at,  on 
account  of  something  Dutch  that  was  probably  supposed  to 
exist  in  the  sound — the  Anglo-Saxon  race  having  a  singular  ap 
titude  to  turn  up  their  noses  at  every  thing  but  their  own  pos 
sessions,  and  everybody  but  themselves.  I  looked  at  Lucy,  with 
sensitive  quickness,  to  see  how  she  received  this  sneer  on  my 
birthplace ;  but,  with  her,  it  was  so  much  a  matter  of  course  to 
think  well  of  every  thing  connected  with  the  spot,  its  name  as 
well  as  its  more  essential  things,  that  I  do  not  believe  she  per 
ceived  this  little  sign  of  derision. 

While  the  passengers  of  the  Gull  felt  this  disposition  to 
smile,  it  was  very  different  with  her  skipper ;  his  Dutch  pilot, 
whose  name  was  Abrahamus  Van  Valtenberg,  but  who  was 
more  familiarly  known  as  'Brom  Folleck,  for  so  the  children  of 
New  Netherlands  twisted  their  cognomens  in  converting  them 
into  English  ;*  the  black  cook,  the  mulatto  steward,  and  the 
"  all  hands,"  who  were  one  man  and  a  boy.  There  had  been 
generations  of  sloops  which  bore  the  name  of  Wallingford,  as 
well  as  generations  of  men,  at  Clawbonny;  and  this  every 
river-man  knew.  In  point  of  fact,  we  counted  four  generations 
of  men,  and  six  of  sloops.  Now,  none  of  these  vessels  was 
worthy  of  being  mentioned,  but  this  which  my  father  had 

*  A  story  is  told  of  a  Scotchman  of  the  name  of  Farquharson,  who  settled  among  tho 
High  Dutch  on  the  Mohawk,  some  time  previously  to  the  Eevolution ;  where,  unable 
to  pronounce  his  name,  the  worthy  farmers  called  'him  Feuerstein  (pronounced  Fire- 
Btyne).  The  son  lived  and  died  under  this  appellation;  but  the  grandson,  removing  to 
a  part  of  tho  country  where  English  alone  was  spoken,  chose  to  anglicize  his  name ;  and, 
by  giving  it  a  free  translation,  became  Mr.  Flint! 

23* 


538  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

caused  to  be  built ;  but  she  had  a  reputation  that  extended  to 
everybody  on  the  river.  The  effect  of  all  this  was  to  induce 
the  skipper  of  the  Gnll  to  raise  his  hat,  and  to  say — 

"  That,  then,  I  suppose,  is  Mr.  Wallingford  himself — you  are 
welcome  back  on  the  river;  I  remember  the  time  well,  when 
your  respected  father  would  make  that  boat  do  any  thing  but 
talk.  Nothing  but  the  new  paint,  which  is  different  from  the 
last,  prevented  me  from  knowing  the  sloop.  Had  I  taken  a  look 
at  her  bows,  this  couldn't  have  happened." 

This  speech  evidently  gave  me  and  my  vessel  an  estimation 
with  the  passengers  of  the  Gull  that  neither  had  enjoyed  the 
moment  before.  There  was  some  private  conversation  on  the 
quarter-deck  of  the  other  vessel,  and,  then,  a  highly  respectable 
and  gentleman-like  looking  old  man,  came  to  the  rail,  bowed, 
and  commenced  a  discourse. 

"  I  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  Captain  Wallingford,  I  be 
lieve,"  he  remarked,  "  with  whom  my  friends,  the  Mortons, 
came  passengers  from  China.  They  have  often  expressed  their 
sense  of  your  civilities,"  he  continued,  as  I  bowed  in  acquies 
cence,  "  and  declare  they  should  ever  wish  to  sail  with  you, 
were  they  again  compelled  to  go  to  sea." 

Now,  this  was  viewing  my  relation  to  the  Mertons  in  any 
point  of  view  but  that  in  which  I  wished  it  to  be  viewed,  or 
indeed  was  just.  Still  it  was  natural ;  and  the  gentleman  who 
spoke,  a  man  of  standing  and  character,  no  doubt  fancied  he 
was  saying  that  which  must  prove  particularly  acceptable  to 
me ;  another  proof  how  dangerous  it  is  to  attempt  to  decide  OR 
other  men's  feelings  or  affairs.  I  could  not  decline  the  dis 
course  ;  and,  while  the  Wallingford  went  slowly  past  the  Gull 
I  was  compelled  to  endure  the  torment  of  hearing  the  Mertona 
mentioned,  again  and  again,  in  the  hearing  of  Lucy  and  Grace ; 
on  the  nerves  of  the  latter  of  whom  I  knew  it  must  be  a  severe 
trial.  At  length  we  got  rid  of  this  troublesome  neighbor,  though 
not  until  Lucy  and  her  father  were  recognized,  and  spoken  to 
by  several  of  the  ladies  in  the  other  party.  While  my  late 
guardian  and  his  daughter  were  thus  engaged,  I  stole  a  glance 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  539 

at  my  sister.  She  was  pale  as  death,  and  seemed  anxious  to  go 
below,  whither  I  led  her,  most  happily,  I  have  every  reason  to 
think,  as  things  turned  out. 

When  the  Wallingford  had  left  the  Gull  some  little  distance 
astern,  I  returned  to  the  deck,  and  Lucy  went  to  take  my  place 
by  the  side  of  Grace's  berth.  She  reappeared,  however,  in  a 
very  few  minutes,  saying  that  my  sister  felt  an  inclination  to 
rest  herself,  and  might  fall  asleep.  Feeble,  almost,  as  an  infant, 
these  frequent  slumbers  had  become  necessary,  in  a  measure,  to 
the  patient's  powers.  Chloe  coming  up  soon  after  with  a  report 
that  her  young  mistress  seemed  to  be  in  a  doze,  we  all  remained 
on  deck,  in  order  not  to  disturb  her.  In  this  manner,  half  an 
hour  passed,  and  we  had  drawn  quite  near  to  another  sloop  that 
was  going  in  the  same  direction  with  ourselves.  At  this  mo 
ment,  Mr.  Hardiuge  was  deeply  immersed  in  his  sermon,  and  I 
perceived  that  Lucy  looked  at  him,  from  time  to  time,  as  if  she 
expected  to  catch  his  eye.  I  fancied  something  distressed  her, 
and  yet  it  was  not  easy  to  imagine  exactly  what  it  could  be. 

"  Do  you  not  intend  to  go  nearer  the  other  sloop  ?"  Lucy  at 
length  inquired,  alluding  to  the  vessel  that  was  almost  in  a  line 
with  us ;  but  to  which  I  had  ordered  Neb  to  give  a  respectable 
berth. 

"  I  thought  the  gossip  of  the  last  quite  sufficient ;  but,  if  you 
like  these  interviews,  certainly." 

Lucy  seemed  embarrassed  ;  she  colored  to  her  temples,  paused 
a  moment,  and  then  added,  affecting  to  laugh — and  it  was  so 
seldom  Lucy  affected  any  thing,  but  this  time  she  did  affect  to 
laugh — as  she  said, 

"  I  do  wish  to  go  near  that  sloop,  though  it  is  not  exactly 
for  the  reason  you  suppose." 

I  could  see  she  was  distressed,  though  it  was  not  yet  easy  to 
imagine  the  cause.  Lucy's  requests  were  laws  to  me,  and  Neb 
was  ordered  to  sheer  down  on  the  quarter  of  this  second  sloop, 
as  we  had  done  on  that  of  the  first.  As  we  drew  near,  her 
stern  told  us  that  she  was  called  the  "  Orpheus  of  Sing  Sing," 
a  combination  of  names  that  proved  some  wag  had  been  con- 


540  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

nected  with  the  christening.  Her  decks  had  also  a  party  of 
both  sexes  on  them,  though  neither  carriage  nor  horses.  All 
this  time,  Lucy  stood  quite  near  me,  as  if  reluctant  to  move, 
and  when  we  were  sufficiently  near  the  sloop,  she  pressed  still 
nearer  to  my  side,  in  the  way  in  which  her  sex  are  apt  to  ap 
peal  to  those  of  the  other  who  possess  their  confidence,  when 
most  feeling  the  necessity  of  support. 

"  Now,  Miles,"  she  said  in  an  under  tone,  "  you  must  '  speak 
that  sloop,'  as  you  call  it ;  I  can  never  hold  a  loud  conversation 
of  this  sort  in  the  presence  of  so  many  strangers." 

"  Very  willingly,  Lucy ;  though  you  will  have  the  goodness 
to  let  me  know  exactly  what  I  am  to  say." 

a  Certainly ;  begin,  then,  in  your  sailor  fashion,  and  when  that 
is  done,  I  will  tell  you  what  to  add." 

"Enough;  Orpheus,  there!"  I  called  out,  just  raising  my 
voice  sufficiently  to  be  heard. 

"  Ay,  ay ;  what's  wanted  ?"  answered  the  skipper,  taking  a 
pipe  from  his  mouth,  as  he  leaned  with  his  back  against  his  own 
tiller,  in  a  way  that  was  just  in  accordance  with  the  sleepy 
character  of  the  scene. 

I  looked  at  Lucy,  as  much  as  to  say,  "  What  next  ?" 

"  Ask  him  if  Mrs.  Drewett  is  on  board  his  sloop — Mrs.  An 
drew  Drewett,  not  Mr. — the  old  lady,  I  mean,"  added  the  dear 
girl,  blushing  to  the  eyes. 

I  was  so  confounded — I  might  almost  add  appalled — that  it 
was  with  great  difficulty  I  suppressed  an  exclamation.  Com 
mand  myself  I  did,  however,  and  observing  that  the  skipper  was 
curiously  awaiting  my  next  question,  I  put  it. 

"  Is  Mrs.  Andrew  Drewett  among  your  passengers,  sir?"  I  in 
quired,  with  a  cold  distinctness. 

My  neighbor  nodded  his  head,  and  spoke  to  some  of  his 
passengers,  most  of  whom  were  on  the  main  deck,  seated  on 
chairs,  and  concealed  from  us,  as  yet,  by  the  Wallingford's 
mainsail,  her  boom  being  guyed  out  on  the  side  next  the  Or 
pheus,  with  its  end  just  clear  of  her  quarter. 

"  She  is,  and  wishes  to  know  who  makes  the  inquiry  ?"  re- 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHOEE.  541 

turned  the  Sing  Sing  skipper,  in  the  sing-song  manner  in  which 
ordinary  folk  repeat  what  is  dictated. 

"  Say  that  Miss  Hardinge  has  a  message  to  Mrs.  Drewett  from 
Mrs.  Ogilvie,  who  is  on  board  that  other  sloop,"  added  Lucy,  in 
a  low  and,  as  I  thought,  tremulous  tone. 

I  was  nearly  choked ;  but  made  out  to  communicate  the  fact 
as  directed.  In  an  instant  I  heard  the  foot  of  one  who  leaped 
on  the  Orpheus's  quarter-deck,  and  then  Andrew  Drewett  ap 
peared,  hat  in  hand,  a  face  all  smiles,  eyes  that  told  his  tale  as 
plain  as  any  tongue  could  have  uttered  it,  and  such  salutations 
as  denoted  the  most  perfect  intimacy.  Lucy  took  my  arm  in 
voluntarily,  and  I  could  feel  that  she  trembled.  The  two  vessels 
were  now  so  near,  and  every  thing  around  us  was  so  tranquil, 
that  by  Lucy's  advancing  to  the  Wallingford's  quarter-deck,  and 
Drewett's  coming  to  the  taffrail  of  the  Orpheus,  it  was  easy  to 
converse  without  any  unseemly  raising  of  the  voice.  All  that 
Lad  been  said  between  me  and  the  skipper,  indeed,  had  been 
said  on  a  key  but  little  higher  than  common.  By  the  change 
in  Lucy's  position  I  could  no  longer  see  her  face  ;  but  I  knew  it 
was  suffused,  and  that  she  was  far  from  being  as  composed  and 
collected  as  was  usual  with  her  demeanor.  All  this  was  death 
to  my  recent  happiness,  though  I  could  not  abstain  from  watch 
ing  what  now  passed  with  the  vigilance  of  jealousy. 

"  Good  morning,"  Lucy  commenced,  and  the  words  were  ut 
tered  in  a  tone  that  I  thought  bespoke  great  familiarity,  if  not 
confidence ;  "  will  you  have  the  goodness  to  tell  your  mother 
that  Mrs.  Ogilvie  begs  she  will  not  leave  Albany  until  after  her 
arrival  ?  The  other  sloop,  Mrs.  Ogilvie  thinks,  cannot  be  more 
than  an  hour  or  two  after  you,  and  she  is  very  desirous  of 

making  a  common  party  to ah  !  there  comes  Mrs.  Drewett," 

said  Lucy,  hastily  interrupting  herself,  "  and  I  can  deliver  my 
message  myself." 

Mrs.  Drewett  coming  aft  at  this  instant,  Lucy  certainly  did  turn 
to  her,  and  communicated  a  message  which  it  seems  the  lady  in 
the  Gull  had  earnestly  requested  her  to  deliver  in  passing. 

"  And  now,"  returned  Mrs.  Drewett,  when  Lucy  had  ceased, 


542  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

first  civilly  saluting  me,  "and  now,  my  dear  Lucy,  we  have 
something  for  you.  So  sudden  was  your  departure,  on  the  re 
ceipt  of  that  naughty  letter" — my  letter,  summoning  the  dear 
girl  to  the  bedside  of  her  friend,  was  meant — "  that  you  left  your 
work-box  behind  you,  and  as  I  knew  that  it  contained  many 
notes  besides  bank-notes,  I  would  not  allow  it  to  be  separated 
from  me  until  we  met.  Here  it  is;  in  what  manner  shall  we 
contrive  to  get  it  into  your  hands  ?" 

Lucy  started,  and  I  could  see  that  she  both  felt  and  looked 
anxious.  As  I  afterward  learned,  she  had  been  passing  a  day  at 
Mrs.  Drewett's  villa,  which  joined  her  own,  both  standing  on 
the  rocks  quite  near  to  that  spot  which  a  mawkish  set  among 
us  is  trying  to  twist  from  plain,  homely,  up-and-down,  old- 
fashioned  Hell-Gate,  into  the  exquisite  and  lackadaisical  cor 
ruption  of  Hurl-Gate — Heaven  save  the  mark!  What  puny 
piece  of  folly  and  affectation  will  they  attempt  next  ?  But  Lucy 
was  paying  this  visit  when  she  received  my  letter,  and  it  ap 
pears  such  was  her  haste  to  get  to  Grace,  that  she  quitted  the 
house  immediately,  leaving  behind  her  a  small  work-box,  un 
locked,  and  in  it  various  papers  that  she  did  not  wish  read.  Of 
course  one  of  Lucy's  sentiments  and  tone  could  hardly  suspect  a 
lady,  and  Mrs.  Drewett  was  strictly  that,  of  rummaging  her  box 
or  of  reading  her  notes  and  letters  ;  but  one  is  never  easy  when 
such  things  can  be  supposed  to  be  in  the  way  of  impertinent 
eyes.  There  are  maids  as  well  as  mistresses,  and  I  could  see  in 
a  moment  that  she  wished  the  box  was  again  in  her  own  pos 
session.  Under  the  circumstances,  therefore,  I  felt  it  time  to 
interfere. 

"  If  your  sloop  will  round-to,  Mr.  Drewett,"  I  remarked,  re 
ceiving  a  cold  salutation  from  the  gentleman,  in  return  for  my 
own  bow,  the  first  sign  of  recognition  that  had  passed  between 
us,  "  I  will  ronnd-to,  myself,  and  send  a  boat  for  the  box." 

This  proposal  drew  all  eyes  toward  the  skipper,  who  was  still 
eaning  against  his  tiller,  smoking  for  life  or  death.  It  was  not 
favorably  received,  extorting  a  grunt  in  reply,  that  any  one  could 
understand  denoted  dissent.  The  pipe  was  slowly  removed,  and 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  543 

the  private  opinion  of  this  personage  was  pretty  openly  ex 
pressed,  in  his  Dutchified  dialect. 

"  If  a  body  coult  get  a  wint  for  der  askin' ,  dis  might  do  very 
well,"  he  said ;  "  but  nobody  rounts-to  mit  a  fair  wint." 

I  have  always  remarked  that  they  who  have  used  a  dialect 
different  from  the  common  forms  of  speech  in  their  youth,  and 
come  afterward  to  correct  it,  by  intercourse  with  the  world, 
usually  fall  back  into  their  early  infirmities  in  moments  of  trial, 
perplexity,  or  anger.  This  is  easily  explained.  Habit  has  be 
come  a  sort  of  nature,  in  their  childhood,  and  it  is  when  most 
tried  that  we  are  the  most  natural.  Then,  this  skipper,  an  Al 
bany — or  Mbonny  man,  as  he  would  probably  have  styled  him 
self,  had  got  down  the  river  as  far  as  Sing  Sing,  and  had  acquired 
a  tolerable  English ;  but,  being  now  disturbed,  he  fell  back  upon 
his  original  mode  of  speaking,  the  certain  proof  that  he  would 
never  give  in.  I  saw  at  once  the  hopelessness  of  attempting  to 
persuade  one  of  his  school,  and  had  begun  to  devise  some  other 
scheme  for  getting  the  box  on  board,  when  to  my  surprise,  and 
not  a  little  to  my  concern,  I  saw  Andrew  Drewett,  first  taking 
the  box  from  his  mother,  step  upon  the  end  of  our  main-boom, 
and  move  along  the  spar  with  the  evident  intention  to  walk  as 
far  as  our  deck  and  deliver  Lucy  her  property  with  his  own 
hands.  The  whole  thing  occurred  so  suddenly,  that  there  was 
no  time  for  remonstrance.  Young  gentlemen  who  are  thor 
oughly  in  love,  are  not  often  discreet  in  matters  connected 
with  their  devotion  to  their  mistresses.  I  presume  Drewett 
saw  the  boom  placed  so  favorably  as  to  tempt  him,  and  he  fan 
cied  it  would  be  a  thing  to  mention  to  carry  a  lady  her  work-box 
across  a  bridge  that  was  of  so  precarious  a  footing.  Had  the 
spar  lain  on  the  ground,  it  would  certainly  have  been  no  exploit 
at  all  for  any  young  man  to  walk  its  length,  carrying  his  arms 
full  of  work-boxes ;  but  it  was  a  very  different  matter  when  the 
same  feat  had  to  be  performed  on  a  sloop's  boom  in  its  place, 
suspended  over  the  water,  with  the  sail  set,  and  the  vessel  in 
motion.  This  Drewett  soon  discovered,  for,  advancing  a  step  or 
two,  he  grasped  the  topping-lift,  which  luckily  for  him  happened 


644  AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE. 

to  be  taut,  for  a  support.  All  this  occurred  before  there  was 
time  for  remonstrance,  or  even  for  thought.  At  the  same  in 
stant  Neb,  in  obedience  to  a  sign  previously  given  by  me,  had 
put  the  helm  down  a  little,  and  the  boom-end  was  already  twenty 
feet  from  the  quarter-deck  of  the  Orpheus. 

Of  course,  all  the  women  screamed,  or  exclaimed,  on  some 
key  or  other.  Poor  Mrs.  Drewett  hid  her  face,  and  began  to 
moan  her  son  as  lost.  I  did  not  dare  look  at  Lucy,  who  re 
mained  quiet  as  to  voice,  after  the  first  involuntary  exclamation, 
and  as  immovable  as  a  statue.  Luckily  her  face  was  from  me. 
As  Drewett  was  evidently  discomposed,  I  thought  it  best,  how 
ever,  to  devise  something  not  only  for  his  relief,  but  for  that 
of  Lucy's  box,  which  was  in  quite  as  much  jeopardy  as  the 
young  man,  himself;  more  so,  indeed,  if  the  latter  could  swim. 
I  was  on  the  point  of  calling  out  to  Drewett  to  hold  on,  and  I 
would  cause  the  boom-end  to  reach  over  the  Orpheus's  main 
deck,  after  which  he  might  easily  drop  down  among  his  friends, 
when  Neb,  finding  some  one  to  take  the  helm,  suddenly  stood 
at  my  side. 

"  He  drop  dat  box,  sartain,  Masser  Mile,"  half  whispered  the 
negro ;  "  he  leg  begin  to  shake  already,  and  he  won'erful 
skear'd  !" 

"  I  would  not  have  that  happen  for  a  good  deal.  Can  you 
save  it,  Neb  ?" 

"  Sartin,  sir.  Only  hab  to  run  out  on  'e  boom  and  bring  it  in, 
and  gib  it  Miss  Lucy ;  she  mighty  partic'lar  about  dat  werry 
box,  Masser  Mile,  as  I  see  a  hundred  time,  and  more  too." 

"  Well,  lay  out,  boy,  and  bring  it  in,  and  look  to  your  foot 
ing,  Neb." 

This  was  all  Neb  wanted.  The  fellow  had  feet  shaped  a  good 
deal  like  any  other  aquatic  bird,  with  the  essential  difference, 
however,  that  no  small  part  of  his  foundation  had  been  laid 
abaft  the  perpendicular  of  the  tendon  Achilles,  and  being  with 
out  shoes,  he  could  nearly  encircle  a  small  spar  in  his  grasp. 
Often  and  often  had  I  seen  Neb  run  out  on  a  topsail-yard,  the 
ship  pitching  heavily,  catching  at  the  lift,  and  it  was  a  mere 


AFLOAT     AND      ASHORE.  545 

trifle  after  that  to  run  out  on  a  spar  as  large  as  the  Wallingford's 
main-boom.  A  tolerably  distinctive  scream  from  Chloe,  first 
apprised  me  that  the  negro  was  in  motion.  Looking  in  that 
direction,  I  saw  him  walking  steadily  along  the  boom,  notwith 
standing  Drewett's  loud  remonstrances  and  declarations  that  he 
wanted  no  assistance,  until  he  reached  the  spot  where  the  young 
gentleman  stood  grasping  the  lift,  with  his  legs  submitting  to 
more  tremor  than  was  convenient.  Neb  now  grinned,  looked 
as  amiable  as  possible,  held  out  his  hand,  and  revealed  the  object 
of  his  visit. 

"  Masser  Mile  t'ink  'e  gentleum  better  gib  me  Miss  Lucy  box," 
said  Neb,  as  politely  as  he  knew  how. 

I  believe  in  my  soul  that  Drewett  could  have  kissed  Neb, 
so  glad  was  he  to  obtain  this  little  relief.  The  box  was  yielded 
without  the  slightest  objection,  Neb  receiving  it  with  a  bow,  af 
ter  which  the  negro  turned  round  as  coolly  as  if  he  were  on  the 
deck,  and  walked  deliberately  and  steadily  in  to  the  mast.  He 
stopped  an  instant  just  at  the  small  of  the  spar  to  look  back  at 
Drewett,  who  was  saying  something  to  pacify  his  mother,  and 
I  observed  that,  as  he  stood  with  his  heels  in  a  line,  the  toes 
nearly  met  underneath  the  boom,  which  his  feet  grasped  some 
thing  in  the  manner  of  talons.  A  deep  sigh  reached  my  ear  as 
Neb  bounded  lightly  on  deck,  and  I  knew  whence  it  came  by 
the  exclamation  of,  "De/?/-ler!" 

As  for  Neb,  he  advanced  with  his  prize,  which  he  offered  to 
Lucy  with  one  of  his  best  bows,  but  in  a  way  to  show  he  was 
not  conscious  of  having  performed  any  unusual  exploit.  Lucy 
handed  the  box  to  Chloe,  without  averting  her  eyes  from  Drew 
ett,  in  whose  situation  she  manifested  a  good  deal  more  con 
cern  than  I  liked,  or  fancied  he  deserved. 

"  Thank  you,  Mr.  Drewett,"  she  said,  affecting  to  think  the 
box  had  been  recovered  altogether  by  his  address ;  "  it  is  now 
safe,  and  there  is  no  longer  any  necessity  for  your  coming  here. 
Let  Mr.  Wallingford  do  what  he  says" — I  had  mentioned  in  a 
low  voice,  the  practicability  of  my  own  scheme — "and  return  to 
your  own  sloop." 


646  AFLOAT     AND     ASHORE. 

But  two  things  now  interposed  to  the  execution  of  this  very 
simple  expedient.  The  first  was  Drewett's  pride,  blended  with 
a  little  obstinacy,  and  the  other  was  the  "  Al&onny"  skipper's 
pride,  blended  with  a  good  deal  of  obstinacy.  The  first  did  not 
like  to  retreat,  after  Neb  had  so  clearly  demonstrated  it  was  no 
great  matter  to  walk  on  the  boom,  and  the  latter,  soured  by  the 
manner  in  which  we  had  outsailed  him,  and  fancying  Andrew 
had  deserted  to  get  on  board  a  faster  vessel,  resented  the  whole 
by  sheering  away  from  us  to  the  distance  of  a  hundred  yards. 
I  saw  that  there  remained  but  a  single  expedient,  and  set  about 
adopting  it  without  further  delay. 

"  Take  good  hold  of  the  lift,  Mr.  Drewett,  and  steady  your 
self  with  both  hands ;  ease  away  the  peak  halyards  to  tauten 
that  lift  a  little  more,  forward.  Now,  one  of  you  stand  by  to 
ease  off  the  guy  handsomely,  and  the  rest  come  aft  to  the  main- 
sheet.  Look  out  for  yourself.  Mr.  Drewett,  we  are  about  to  haul 
in  the  boom,  when  it  will  be  a  small  matter  to  get  you  in  upon 
the  taffrml.  Stand  by  to  luff  handsomely,  so  as  to  keep  the 
boom  as  steady  as  possible." 

But  Drewett  clamorously  protested  against  our  doing  any  thing 
of  the  sort.  He  was  getting  used  to  his  situation,  and  intended 
to  come  in  Neb-fashion  in  a  minute  more.  All  he  asked  was 
not  to  be  hurried. 

"  No — no — touch  nothing,  I  entreat  of  you,  Captain  Walling- 
ford" — he  said  earnestly.  "  If  that  black  can  do  it,  surely  I 
ought  to  do  it,  too." 

"  But  the  black  has  claws,  and  you  have  none,  sir ;  then  he 
is  a  sailor,  and  used  to  such  things,  and  you  are  none,  sir. 
Moreover,  he  was  barefooted,  while  you  have  got  on  stiff,  and  1 
dare  say  slippery  boots." 

"  Yes,  the  boots  are  an  encumbrance.  If  I  could  only  throw 
them  off,  I  should  do  well  enough.  As  it  is,  however,  I  hope 
to  have  the  honor  of  shaking  you  by  the  hand,  Miss  Hardinge, 
without  the  disgrace  of  being  helped." 

Mr.  Hardinge  here  expostulated,  but  all  in  vain ;  for  I  saw 
plainly  enough  Drewett  was  highly  excited,  and  that  he  was  pro 


AFLOAT     AND     ASHORE.  54* 

paring  for  a  start.  These  signs  were  now  so  apparent  that  all  of 
us  united  our  voices  in  remonstrances ;  and  Lucy  said  imploringly 
to  me,  "Do  not  let  him  move,  Miles — I  have  heard  him  say  he 
cannot  swim." 

It  was  too  late.  Pride,  mortified  vanity,  obstinacy,  love,  or 
what  you  will,  rendered  the  young  man  deaf,  and  away  he  went, 
abandoning  the  lift,  his  sole  protection.  I  saw,  the  moment  he 
quitted  his  grasp,  that  he  would  never  reach  the  mast,  and  made 
my  arrangements  accordingly.  I  called  to  Marble  to  stand  by 
to  luff;  and,  just  as  the  words  passed  my  lips,  a  souse  into  the 
water  told  the  whole  story.  The  first  glance  at  poor  Drewett's 
frantic  manner  of  struggling  told  me  that  Lucy  was  really  aware 
of  his  habits,  and  that  he  could  not  swim.  I  was  in  light  duck, 
jacket  and  trowsers,  with  seaman's  pumps ;  and  placing  a  foot 
on  the  rail,  I  alighted  alongside  of  the  drowning  young  man, 
just  as  he  went  under.  Well  assured  he  would  reappear,  I 
waited  for  that,  and  presently  I  got  a  view  of  his  hair,  within 
reach  of  my  arm,  and  I  grasped  it,  in  a  way  to  turn  him  on  his 
back,  and  bring  his  face  uppermost.  At  this  moment  the  sloop 
was  gliding  away  from  us,  Marble  having  instantly  put  the  helm 
hard  down,  in  order  to  round  to.  As  I  afterward  learned,  the 
state  of  the  case  was  no  sooner  understood  in  the  other  sloop, 
than  the  Albormy  men  gave  in,  and  imitated  the  Wallingford. 

There  was  no  time  for  reflection.  As  soon  as  Drewett's  hair 
was  in  my  grasp,  I  raised  his  head  from  the  water,  by  an  effort 
that  forced  me  under  it,  to  let  him  catch  his  breath ;  and  then 
relaxed  the  power  by  which  it  had  been  done,  to  come  up  my 
self.  I  had  done  this  to  give  him  a  moment  to  recover  his 
recollection,  in  the  hope  he  would  act  reasonably ;  and  I  now 
desired  him  to  lay  his  two  hands  on  my  shoulders,  permit  his 
body  to  sink  as  low  as  possible  and  breathe,  and  trust  the  rest 
lo  me.  If  the  person  in  danger  can  be  made  to  do  this,  an  or 
dinarily  good  swimmer  could  tow  him  a  mile,  without  any 
unusual  effort.  But  the  breathing  spell  afforded  to  Drewett 
had  the  effect  just  to  give  him  strength  to  struggle  madly  for 
existence,  without  aiding  his  reason.  On  the  land,  he  would 


548  AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE. 

have  been  nothing  in  my  hands ;  but,  in  the  water,  the  merest 
boy  may  become  formidable.  God  forgive  me,  if  I  do  him  in 
justice  !  but  I  have  sometimes  thought,  since,  that  Drewett  was 
perfectly  conscious  who  I  was,  and  that  he  gave  some  vent  to 
his  jealous  distrust  of  Lucy's  feelings  toward  me.  This  may  be 
all  imagination ;  but  I  certainly  heard  the  words  "  Lucy,"  "  Wal- 
lingford,"  "  Clawbonny,"  "  hateful,"  muttered  by  the  man,  even 
as  he  struggled  there  for  life.  The  advantage  given  him,  by 
turning  to  allow  him  to  put  his  hands  on  my  shoulders,  liked  to 
have  cost  me  dear.  Instead  of  doing  as  I  directed,  he  grasped 
my  neck  with  both  arms,  and  seemed  to  wish  to  mount  on 
my  head,  forcing  his  own  shoulders  quite  out  of  water,  and 
mine,  by  that  much  weight,  beneath  it.  It  was  while  we  were 
thus  placed,  his  mouth  within  an  inch  or  two  of  my  very  ear, 
that  I  heard  the  words  muttered  which  have  been  mentioned. 
It  is  possible,  however,  that  he  was  unconscious  of  that  which 
terror  and  despair  extorted  from  him. 

I  saw  no  time  was  to  be  lost,  and  my  efforts  became  desper 
ate.  I  first  endeavored  to  swim  with  this  great  encumbrance ; 
but  it  was  useless.  The  strength  of  Hercules  could  not  long 
have  buoyed  up  the  under  body  of  such  a  load,  sufficiently  to 
raise  the  nostrils  for  breath ;  and  the  convulsive  twitches  of 
Drewett's  arms  were  near  strangling  me.  I  must  throw  him  off, 
or  drown.  Abandoning  the  attempt  to  swim,  I  seized  his  hands 
with  mine,  and  endeavored  to  loosen  his  grasp  of  my  neck.  Of 
course  we  both  sank  while  I  was  thus  engaged ;  for  it  was  im 
possible  to  keep  my  head  above  water,  by  means  of  my  feet 
alone,  with  a  man  of  some  size  riding,  from  his  shoulders  up, 
above  the  level  of  my  chin. 

I  can  scarcely  describe  what  followed.  I  confess  I  thought 
no  longer  of  saving  Drewett's  life,  but  only  of  saving  my  own. 
We  struggled  there  in  the  water  like  the  fiercest  enemies,  each 
aiming  for  the  mastery,  as,  if  one  were  to  live,  the  other  must 
die.  We  sank,  and  rose  to  the  surface  for  air,  solely  by  my 
efforts,  no  less  than  three  times ;  Drewett  getting  the  largest 
benefits  by  the  latter,  thus  renewing  his  strength ;  while  mine. 


AFLOAT      AND      ASHORE.  549 

great  as  it  was  by  nature,  began  gradually  to  fail.  A  struggle 
so  terrific  could  not  last  long.  We  sank  a  fourth  time,  and  I 
felt  it  was  not  to  rise  again,  when  relief  came  from  an  unex 
pected  quarter.  From  boyhood,  my  father  had  taught  me  the 
important  lesson  of  keeping  my  eyes  open  under  water.  By 
means  of  this  practice,  I  not  only  felt,  but  saw  the  nature  of 
the  tremendous  struggle  that  was  going  on.  It  also  gave  me 
a  slight  advantage  over  Drewett,  who  closed  his  eyes,  by  en 
abling  me  to  see  how  to  direct  my  own  exertions.  While 
sinking,  as  I  believed,  for  the  last  time,  I  saw  a  large  ob 
ject  approaching  me  in  the  water,  which,  in  the  confusion  of 
the  moment,  I  took  for  a  shark,  though  sharks  never  ascended 
the  Hudson  so  high,  and  were  even  rare  at  New  York.  There 
it  was,  however,  swimming  toward  us,  and  even  descending 
lower,  as  if  to  pass  beneath,  in  readiness  for  the  fatal  snap. 
Beneath  it  did  pass,  and  I  felt  it  pressing  upward,  raising  Drew 
ett  and  myself  to  the  surface.  As  I  got  a  glimpse  of  the  light, 
and  a  delicious  draught  of  air,  Drewett  was  drawn  from  my 
neck  by  Marble,  whose  encouraging  voice  sounded  like  music 
in  my  ears.  At  the  next  instant  my  shark  emerged,  puffing 
like  a  porpoise ;  and  then  I  heard — • 

"  Hole  on,  Masser  Mile — here  he  nigger  close  by !" 
I  was  dragged  into  the  boat,  I  scarce  know  how,  and  lay 
down  completely  exhausted ;  while  my  late  companion  seemed 
to  me  to  be  a  lifeless  corpse.  In  a  moment,  Neb,  dripping  like 
a  black  river-god,  and  glistening  like  a  wet  bottle,  placed  him 
self  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  took  my  head  into  his  lap,  and 
began  to  squeeze  the  water  from  my  hair,  and  to  dry  my  face 
with  some  one's  handkerchief — I  trust  it  was  not  his  own. 

"  Pull  away,  lads,  for  the  sloop,"  said  Marble,  as  soon  as 
everybody  was  out  of  the  river.  "  This  gentleman  seems  to 
have  put  on  the  hatches  for  the  last  time — as  for  Miles,  he'll 
never  drown  in  fresh  water." 

THE    END. 


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